Fool's Gold
by cartoon moomba
Summary: P3P. When Isabella Payne returns to the city of her family's death, she really isn't prepared for the people running around with guns or kids stalking her in her sleep - all she wants is a normal school year. What's the definition of normal, again? FeMCx?
1. Blessed Be The Fools

**Author's Note**: So I've been wanting to write this ever since I started playing Minato's side of the story on P3P (I've never played a Persona game before) but I've finally gotten around to it. I'm trying to have a chapter or two written in advance when I update, but I don't know how well that'll go; I'm also playing Persona 4 when I get back home – I'm on vacation at the moment – and I do have a sequel to this planned that takes in Persona 4. But… it's really far off. And vague.

Anyway, I tried to put a little original spin onto "Minako", such as… well, you'll see. Her name here stays as Minako, but she is referred to and refers to herself as Isabella for reasons explained later. I'm trying not to make her a Mary-Sue, but I'm following the responses the game gives you which I think will fit her character best out of all of them.

Also, I plan to change things around here and there, like adding more dialogue between the characters and small little scenes (in the beginning at least; who knows what I have planned for later on!) but this won't be something big that'll veer away from the plot. Most of the game dialogue is from the script as I'm playing through, seeing as how I can't find any script online.

This won't be too romance focused, but obviously there will be romance… I just wanted to try doing something that focuses more on her character that what guys she hooks in and whatnot.

Also, England is a really convenient place. I read somewhere that a lot of MCs that come from America are referred to as "Mary-Sues", so… plus, it kind of plays into the story. I don't think I've seen any Grandmothers like the one below in America, but my friend does have one like this and it's kind of really funny to hear about.

Onto the story, I guess! Please review! :)

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything… but I'd love to own Ryoji…

* * *

_Chapter One_

The dream always starts out the same.

I'm sitting in my mother's garden, rolling a red rubber ball around on the ground. I'm small and young; maybe six, seven years old. The warm Japanese sun beats down on my shoulders, basking me in light, and the lazy traffic of Iwatodai lulls me into a quiet serenity from somewhere beyond the grounds. Unsurprisingly, my grip slips on the toy and it begins to roll away, coming to a stop under a large oak tree.

There's a boy standing there.

I begin to run towards him, wanting to get my toy back, and he looks up at me with the ball in his hand. He straightens, and somehow I know he's smiling.

"Let's play together," his lips move, but no sound comes out. I've been in this place so many times that I know the dialogue by heart. He offers me his hand, the ball lying in the palm stretched out before me. I watch, detached, as my younger self bites her lower lip in uncertainty, paying no attention to the butterfly landing on her shoulder. Its wings brush ever so gently against her_(our_) cheek as it flutters to a stop, and she_(we) _smile.

"…Okay," I say, reaching out to grasp his hand with mine. A sudden rush of giddiness washes over me as he pulls me into the shade by his side, and we both begin to laugh at the sudden feeling. Neither one of us stops as he begins to spin me around and around until I'm dizzy, until the butterfly on my shoulder has grown so disgruntled that it twitches its wings and lifts off. I follow it with my eyes, lightheaded, as it flies towards the sun – for the briefest of moments, it flashes a bright blue in the summer air and everything stops.

A voice seems to murmur to me, from nowhere and everywhere at once, the barest hint of a breath touching my cheek.

"time never waits… it delivers all equally to the same end." It seems almost amused as ghost hands embrace me from behind, a chin settling at the crook between my neck and right shoulder. I'm no longer seven but seventeen, clasping the boy's hand with a too-tight grip in my own. _Don't go _I want to say, but I can only watch as he crumbles and fades into dust; a pile of sand on the dark earth below. I turn my gaze to the red rubber ball I'm now left holding.

There is an eye there, large and ominous, and it's both an eye and a lipless mouth. Oddly enough, it makes me think of the moon hanging low in the sky, surrounded by green smog.

It opens, its voice raspy, and says – "you, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be…" It focuses on me, judging. I stay still, bound by invisible chains. "go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide."

The phantom hands begin to pull me back to the land of the awake, and I don't hear the voice's continuing whisper as the ball tumbles from my fingers and onto the ground. I'm now nothing but the Earth and the sky, the particles in the grass and in the air. No eyes, no ears, just the sense of existence.

"you will be given one year…"

My dream landscape fades into solid ink.

* * *

"…_todai… Iwatodai…"_

I jerk awake as the train turns, and gaze around at the metal walls of _Anehazuru _as we shudder along the train tracks. The sky is dark outside the windows but lit up by the lights of the city, masking the stars overhead. A man in a business suit spares me a glance before turning a page of his newspaper, and I manage to catch the bold headline before it disappears—

**COUNT OF COMA CASES INCREASES TO OVER A HUNDRED**

I dig around in my bag for a pack of gum as I mull this over – finally finding it, I pop one piece in my mouth and begin to chew. I remember my Grandmother mentioning this several times as I was preparing to leave, warning me – ordering me, really – to be careful and not catch whatever it was going around this place.

_"Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. We apologize to any customers who were in a hurry. __The next stop is Iwatodai…Iwatodai."_

I hadn't realized that the message that had awoken me was still being announced. I glance at my cell phone, clutched loosely in my left hand, and bite back a sigh at the time flashing there. I hope no one at the Dorm was going to be mad at me – that is, if someone even bothered to stay up and wait. I doubted it; they were, after all, students. Sleep was sometimes hard to come by, especially in a private school like Gekkoukan High.

My mind flashes to the pamphlet that lies folded and creased many times over in the pocket of my skirt. I've read it so many times that I almost know the texts and maps by heart – _"This is bad news, Isabella," _my Grandmother had said, shaking her head when the envelope arrived. _"That place holds nothing but bad memories… and futures."_

I shake off her words, thinking – no, knowing – that she's wrong. No matter what happened on the Moonlight Bridge on a green night long ago, Iwatodai was a home to me. Perhaps moreso that Grandmother's own house, where I had spent the last ten years growing up. Dreams of this small city continued to plague my sleep ever since I stepped foot outside the hospital, walking in the direction of nowhere.

Or my Grandmother's car. Both were relatively the same to me, with Grandmother's spotless rooms and disappointed frowns and _"Isabella, for God's sake, you will never find a husband this way."_

I bite at my lip, hard, warding off her last words to me as I left for the train station. _You'll see, _she had said, voice confident and grave, her eyes gazing into mine. We both had eyes the color of dark cherry wine, swirling into endless depths. It was hard to believe my Mother was raised by her. _You'll come back here in a year, girl, sniveling onto my doorstep. _

With a great sigh, I lean my head back onto the seat and gaze at the ceiling overhead.

"This is definitely not Manchester anymore," I murmur to the cool air, almost wishing for the butterfly to take me back to my dreams. The sun is always shining there, and even though I can never leave the garden with the oak tree, it feels like home.

* * *

The next time I wake up, I have not dreamt. The train is no longer moving, beeping instead as the doors open and the few people in my compartment gather their belongings and leave. I heft my bag higher onto my shoulder, glancing at my phone as I do so – the numbers flash at me, _11:59 P.M, _and something like nervousness passes through me. Gathering all the courage I have, I step outside the train and into the station.

It is well lit, several people milling around in the late of the night. A voice is going through the speakers, metallic and feminine.

_"This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please take care to board __before—"_

A quiet alarm beeps from my phone, and the message cuts off. The lights overhead and on the terminals fade out, not one by one but instantaneously, enfolding this place in darkness. I take a glance around as my eyes adjust to the darkness, and sure enough, there are maroon wood coffins standing where the people just were. Disappointment passes over me, but, well, what else had I expected?

I use the light of my phone to navigate through the dark building, taking a mental note to email Matthew and assure him his modifications worked just fine. It takes a few minutes for me to find the exit, since even such a small city has a fairly sized train station. When I step outside, the world is painted a familiar shade of murky green and red. There's a slight odor in the air, but I have never been able to place it with anything I have ever smelt before. Rows of coffins upon coffins line the streets and red liquid trails down where the sidewalks meet the road, shining under the light of the yellow moon.

I glance up to the eye of a moon staring at me from the sky, large and menacing, and am reminded of the rubber ball and the butterfly.

_Go forth without falter with your heart as your guide,_ I remember. Too bad that my heart is screaming for me run straight for the Dorm and huddle safely underneath the blankets.

Unfortunately for my heart, I'm never one to follow what it's telling me. If I did, I'd be as dead as my brother and parents are, hunched over underneath scraps of metal and fire.

Deciding that whoever is at the Dorm can wait – it's not like any time is passing for them right now, anyway – I decide to head out and explore. My walk brings me to the Iwatodai Strip Mall, and I let myself linger before it, trying to gather memories. _My brother and I loved to eat at Wild Duck Burger – Mom never let us eat the takoyaki – there wasn't a book store here before – the manga store has gotten even bigger, if possible – the sweet shop has some of the best chocolate cake around._

A shift in the surroundings to my left brings me back to reality and I tense, cursing myself for forgetting to take out my gun. _Just because this place is home, it doesn't mean it's any safer, _I think, slowly reaching into my bag for where the gun lies in one of the camouflaged pockets. I exchange my phone for it, and once it's in my hands, I click off the safety and turn in the direction of the feeling of disturbance.

"Who's there?" I call out, heart beating wild no matter how many times Matt and I have gone over this – there was almost never any need to defend ourselves back in England, but Japan may be completely different. Maybe it's because the moon looks a little bigger, a little yellower, a little more dangerous.

Matthew and I had poured over endless pages of information – myths, facts, end of the world stories – but there had been nothing to explain the strange occurrence of the world hidden between one hour and the next. I had converted it to the Japanese timezone here before arriving, and it being midnight nagged something at me; maybe Matthew would find this small tidbit of information useful.

There's the sound of shuffling feet in the darkness, and a human sized shape emerges at last. I relax a little, surprised at seeing someone awake during this; as far as I know, Matt and I had rarely run into someone in all our years of exploration.

"You can put that down now," the voice grouches, male and low, a little gruff from either trying to sound badass, or continuous use of cigarettes. I snort, gun trained on the man, glad that he's so large I almost won't miss.

"I'm not an idiot," I reply back, hoping to God that he doesn't notice how much my arms are shaking.

Said man chuckles. "I'm unarmed, see?" He holds up both his hands, and in the minimum light I can see he's not holding anything.

"Doesn't mean you're not hiding anything underneath that coat of yours." Indeed, the guy is wearing a bulky, maroon coat, covering him from his neck to past his thighs. There's a beanie on top of his dark hair, and as clouds pass by the moon, I catch that he's smiling.

"And do you really think you'll be able to shoot me?" He asks, amused, and with great reluctance, I lower the gun. I let it be by my side just in case he makes any sudden movements.

The moon serves better than any lamppost that stands here, useless, and I can see that he's not as old as I pegged him to be – tanned skin, dark pants, brown hair and dark eyes. Said eyes are focused on me, and I step back just the tiniest bit.

Oh, come on, the guy just screams "THUG".

He rolls his eyes at me. "You shouldn't be walking around here," he grouches, taking a few steps towards me with his hands now in his pockets. I move back even farther, raising the gun a few inches. He stops, his mouth tugging into something like a smirk. "Well, at least you're not an idiot," he mutters, low enough that I shouldn't have been able to hear him, but it's so quiet here without people or traffic or wind, that I could have heard him from the second level of the mall.

"I'm flattered," I bite back, nervous. The first time I have to run into someone else awake during this, and it _has _to be someone who probably spends his days skipping school and smoking pot in the back alley of the train station.

The guy's smirk turns into a frown. "But seriously, get out of here. That thing you're holding in your hand won't be any good if you get attacked by one of the locals around here." I let the gun drop even further, a bit surprised. Besides, if the guy was going to mug me, he'd have done it already, right?

"Do you mean the Monsters?"

His eyes narrow just the tiniest bit at my question. "How do you know about those?"

It's my turn to stare at him like he's from some other planet. _Hello, this is planet Neptune, calling all freaks back to their home planet. Do you read me? _"Excuse me, but _you _were the one to refer to them just now. It's not like a boogey monster is going to pop out of one of these coffins and attack me."

Thug Guy-slash-Asshole scoffs. "Whatever. You should get somewhere safe before they find you."

I can't help but roll my eyes at this. I didn't survive ten years of wandering around surrounded by smog and blood and not learn anything. "I'm flattered that you're worrying about me, really, I am." My sarcasm must be as good as ever, because it looks like he's getting pissed. "But just for your information, this thing _will _work on anything that tries to leap out at me. Including creepers who come out of back alleys in the middle of the night." I eye him, gauging to see if he's going to do anything about my words. Curse me and my jetlag – my stupidity will have me end up dead in a ditch somewhere, someday.

"Say what you want, kid," he scowls, sounding a bit offended. "Go on, scram. There's nothing for you to do here."

_Actually, _I almost say, _I was having a grand time reminiscing before you came and interrupted me. _But he doesn't need to know this. So instead I decide to follow his words and begin to walk in the direction of the Dorm without another word. I can hear the guy behind me scoff again, muttering something like _brat _or _bitch _under his breath, before his footsteps, too, fade into the night. In the completely opposite direction of me. Good.

There's just the tiniest bit of a brush against my arms, and I am reminded to keep an eye out on the Monsters. They had avoided us for the most part back home, but you never know what could happen here. Something like a voice – garbled and faint, with bubbles in its throat, coming from underwater – sounds in my mind and I know by now that there is no way for me to decipher it. Save for throwing myself headfirst into the path of a speeding car, but I wasn't ready to lose my life or risk ending up at the hospital just to understand what this thing in my head wanted to tell me.

Matt and I had started to feel these twinges – these mutters – a few years into meeting each other, starting from the day when we were almost devoured by an especially large Monster. There was a loud cry from somewhere, sounding neither man or beast, and then a bright flash of light and the whoosh of air – when the night cleared, there was nothing left on the spot.

I keep my gun near me and wonder for the millionth time this night just when Matt would decide to get his ass in gear and _call _me. Here I was, returning to the (almost) scene of my parents' deaths, and my best friend was nowhere to be found.

Okay, so I'm just being a little over dramatic. But Matt had _promised_.

It's another few minutes of walking between coffins and piles of blood before I turn into a street and see the large building towering overhead – once I step closer, I can make out "KIRIJO" in small letters on a plaque attached by the door. I look at it in curiosity, but their corporation had built this school, after all.

The Dorm, from outside, looks like a lighthouse in the night, every window of it lit up with a yellow glow - but when the door opens under my grip and I step in, the sickly glow of the moon illuminates the lobby through the large windows. From what I can see in the minimum light, the room is large and has several couches, a dining table further back, and what looks like several desks. There is no one here.

"You're _late._" I turn at the sudden voice to the check in counter – scratch that, there _is _someone here after all. But… it's just a boy, barely coming up to my chest, smiling wide with the brightest shades of blue eyes I have ever seen. "I've been waiting a long time."

Embarrassed, I glance at anywhere but him. My abrupt rush of bitchiness with the guy earlier had left me almost as soon as I heard him disappear. "I'm sorry, there was a problem with the train – I just got here. I know it's late, but…" I trail off when he says nothing, and doesn't even move. I examine him from the corners of my eyes; he's dressed in a striped black and white jumpsuit, looking suitable for prison. I blink. Was there a center for troubled kids somewhere around here?

The boy just shakes his head, his smile still wide and in place, before gesturing to the notebook lying beside him on the counter. Weird, I hadn't noticed it before. "If you want to proceed, then please sign here." I walk over to it, past the motionless boy, and try to make out the text. It's almost impossible in some places.

"What is this?" I ask, wary. The boy just chuckles.

"It's a contract." His voice is young, but his eyes look empty. He pauses, as if thinking something over. "…There's no need to be scared. Really."

I raise both my eyebrows at this, deciding against asking him what he is doing out of a coffin at this time of day. He doesn't look too stable at the moment, or like he'd be happy to provide me with straight answers. "I'm not scared," I reply back, stubborn to the end.

An eyebrow of his mimics mine. "It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions." Something that sounds like a giggle breaks out. "You know…the usual stuff."

His words make sense – from what I've seen and read on the school, these people tend to take everything seriously. I reach for a pen that I also hadn't seen before, glancing down on the paper in front of me.

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."

They are even using fancy English. I sign my name on the dotted line with a flourish – _Isabella Payne. _The boy moves for the first time since we've met, startling me, and grabs the book. It shuts close in his hands and he cradles it to his chest like some sort of precious object.

He looks even happier, if at all possible. "Thank you," He says, smiling at me, his eyes bright against the shadows of the walls. "Time…" He stops, looking at me for several seconds. "…Is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end." The familiar words of the butterfly make me freeze, eyes wide, face pale. His smile stretches even wider, torso lowering in a half bow. "Wishing won't make it go away." The rational side of my brain has time to wonder how he knows of my deepest longing for the time in this hour to freeze for hours, days, years – before he begins to melt into the darkness. Piece by piece, he begins to disappear as if he was never there to begin with, his last words echoing around the room.

"…And so, it begins."

A clatter of footsteps on the staircase makes me jump. Then, a voice – "Who's there!" Well, what do you know, more people awake during this time. Japan sure is a weird place.

A female figure appears before me in a second, clad in a modified pink version of Gekkoukan's uniform, brown eyes staring at me out from a pale face. I notice her fingers shaking, her Adam's apple bobbing in her throat.

"How can you be… but it's…" She's not making any sense, a bead of sweat trickling down from her temple. I take a step forward, mouth open to say something, but she interrupts me.

"Don't tell me…" I notice the pistol at her thigh a moment too late, all the way until it's pointed my way. It's silver from non-use and smaller than from what I've seen, but unfortunately for me, this girl looks all too determined to use it. And she has a clear shot right at me.

I have time to think _Well, shit _before pointing my own gun straight at her. Pinky doesn't seem to have been expecting this, her eyes widening until I think they're going to pop out of her head and stumbles a few paces back. Now that I come to think of it, with the exception of the gun, she doesn't really look all that well. Her arms are shaking even more than mine were back at the strip mall, and there are beads of sweat collecting at her temple.

I lower my weapon down just the tiniest bit. "H-Hey, are you okay?" To my horror, my voice seems to have startled her even further, because instead of the gun pointing at me, she's now pointing it at _herself. _What the fuck. No, really, I don't remember Iwatodai being this wacked out before.

"What the hell are you—"

I get cut off before I can even finish by someone else. "TAKEBA, WAIT!"

There's a clatter of heels from the direction of the staircase and a taller woman emerges, her red hair tangled on her back as she rushes towards us. I gotta give her props for running in those boots; she, too, seems to be wearing a version of the school uniform, with a ruffled blouse and grey skirt. I manage to catch a glimpse of a gun holster strapped around her waist as she stops by the other girl and places one hand on her arm, lowering her aim at her forehead.

"That's enough," I catch her mutter to the brunette, before she turns towards me. Her eyes run over my pistol and her shoulders tense, before she nods at me. "You can put that away now," she declares, her voice calm and ordering, and I place the pistol on the counter behind me, pushing it away slightly.

Were these people going to be my _dormmates_?

The pair seems to relax a bit at this, though the first girl still looks like she might faint at any moment now. "I wasn't expecting you to arrive so late," the redhead addresses me, trying to smile, but I can tell it's not working.

"Is she okay?" I ignore her greeting in favor of direction my worry at her companion. Before either one of them can reply, the Dorm lights turn back on all at the same time, making me wince from the sudden onslaught of light. I glance out one of the windows, and sure enough, the sky is a dark blue littered with pinpricks of stars.

"The lights…" The first girl mutters, her face slack with relief. Redhead places a comforting hand on her shoulder, though I think I can see her fingers tightening just a bit too much.

"She'll be fine," she answers, her posture also visibly relaxing with the end of the hour. I'm glad it's over too, but try not to show it too much. The warm glow of the lamps makes the lobby feel comforting, not anything like it is outside. "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm." Oh, great. I get to live with the heiress of the Kirijo company – that explains the nametag outside – and two gun-crazy students.

Pinky, obviously feeling better and forgetting that she was just trying to shoot herself in front of me, turns her head to gaze up at Mitsuru with a frown. "Who's she?" I guess me witnessing her moment of trying to commit suicide is enough to forget I'm standing right in front of them.

"She's a transfer student," Mitsuru says before I can answer the question myself. "It was a last minute decision to assign her here." She pauses, her eyes looking me over, as if judging. "She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm."

I raise an eyebrow at this. The shorter girl also looks anxious, her lips thinning into a straight line. "…Is it okay for her to be here?"

"I guess we'll see," the Kirijo heiress smiles, sounding almost like she finds this all funny. I have to bite at my own tongue to keep from biting out something unpleasant. "This is Yukari Takeba." Well, looks like Pinky has a name. I look both of them over, catching the identical red armbands they have on the left arms – I can catch the letters _S. E_, but the rest is turned away from me. Are they some sort of a club? Maybe each one of them has their own personal handgun they run around with, pointing it at strangers. Or it's a suicide cult. You could never know with high school students.

"She'll be a junior this spring, just like you." I'm guessing that this woman is my senpai, then – that doesn't answer how she got ahold of my transfer files, though. I store the information for later use, and stick out my hand in greeting, smiling.

"Isabella Payne. Nice to meet you." Yukari looks a bit awkward at shaking my hand – don't they bow or something here in Japan? It's been ages since I practiced tradition – but takes it nonetheless.

"…Yukari." She doesn't look too happy to be meeting me, and I turn my attention to Mitsuru.

"Isn't this a normal dorm?" I ask, deciding not to question the guns – after all, my own pistol is lying just behind me.

"Huh!" Some of Yukari's panic from earlier seems to be back, even though I wasn't even talking to her. "Oh, uh… of course it is!" Yes, and I really _do _come from the planet Neptune.

Mitsuru comes in to save her dormmate's blunder. "…Not quite. This is a co-ed dorm." There go my hopes of finding a space ship in the basement. "There are other differences as well… I'll explain later. It's getting late." Her words make my body remember that it is, indeed, (past) midnight and I haven't been able to get a wink of sleep on the plane. I break out in a yawn and cover it with one hand, which seems to relax the atmosphere around here a little. Yukari moves to stifle her own yawn, but it might be just me. "You'll find your room on the third floor. Your things should also already be there. I suggest you tuck in for the night."

The most sensible sentence I have heard her say this whole entire time. Mitsuru sends Yukari a Look, and the girl starts, as if remembering something.

"Oh… I'll show you the way. Follow me." I remember to grab my gun from the counter, daring Mitsuru to comment on it, but all I can feel is her eyes on my back as we head upstairs. We pass by a large dining table, what looks like an open door to the kitchen, and several study tables on the way to the stairs. The second floor has a smaller lounge with a coffee table and a few couches, as well as soda machines – a hallway stretches out farther in, but it's dark and I assume this the guys' floor.

The third floor is entirely the same, except the lights are lit up here and we walk until we reach the farthest door on the right. My name sits in the plaque on it, written on a piece of paper in feminine script. "Last minute transfer decision", my ass.

"This is it…" Yukari trails off, looking lost for words. All I want is to go in and fall down on the bed, and I'm guessing she wants to do the same. "Pretty easy to remember, huh? …Since it's right at the end of the hall." I crack a smile at her attempt of conversation as she stands there, looking lost.

"So, um… any questions?"

I wrack my brain for any, and decide that the boy in prison clothes seems like a good place to start. "Does that boy live here?" I blurt out, and then curse myself when I realize she might not have seen him with his crazy Houdini trick and whatnot. Maybe he just visits time to time? At midnight?

…Right.

Yukari seems to agree with me, her mouth turning downwards into a frown. "What are you talking about?" She asks, her brows furrowed as she stares at the door behind me. "…C'mon, it's not funny." I wasn't trying to be, but it seems like she hasn't got a clue as to what I'm talking about. Oh well, guess I'll have to look around on my own sometime.

"Um…" I snap out of my thoughts at her voice, and notice that she's still not looking at me. _This girl is not suspicious at all, _I decide, deciding to humor her. After all, she had to deal with my post-jetlag PMS.

"What's up?"

Her eyes finally find mine. "Can I ask you a question?" I withhold my desire to say, "You already did," and she takes my silence as a 'yes'. "On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

I raise an eyebrow. Aha! She didn't seem all that surprised by Green Hour earlier, and neither did the other girl. "I ran into a thug, but otherwise, yes." She looks a bit worried, but I wave it off. "It's fine, he didn't do anything."

Yukari looks both relieved and a bit depressed. "Okay, I see… Nevermind, then." She smiles at me for the first time tonight, but it still doesn't look right. Guess I scared her pretty bad; I catch her eyes quickly glancing at the pistol I'm holding, and wince. Definitely scared her too much.

"Well, I'd better get going…" Finally. As much as I appreciate her trying to be friendly – or prying into my life, whichever one it is – I really want a bed to sleep on. Airplane seats can only do so much for you, and train naps barely help.

She hands me a key before walking off with a polite nod, and I'm about to turn it in the doorknob before her footsteps stop and I glance up. She's looking at me, a bit guilty. "Um… I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay?"

"I just want to get into bed," I joke, smiling to make sure she knows I'm not insulting her, and this time, her smile looks a bit better.

"I agree. Good night." She disappears downstairs – to talk to Mitsuru, maybe? – and finally, _finally, _I have a chance to enter my new bedroom. The key turns easily in my grasp and I push the door open, letting out a quiet whistle of appreciation at the room. I really, really hope I won't be getting transferred any time soon, 'cause man, this place is like your own hotel suite. Maybe not five stars, but it'll do.

The walls are painted an offshade of cream and there's a hook for my clothes to my left, as well as a mini-fridge, sink and mirror. There's several pink and white towels and a shelf for my toothbrush and the like – a wooden desk sits farther back with some books, a wheeled chair, and a TV set in the corner. I spot my luggage by the bed – as well as some random sports calendar pinned to the wall overhead, to the right of which there are some wooden shelves for my enjoyment – and head over there, throwing my pistol and messenger bag to the side. The gun lands with a thunk on top of it and I all but throw myself onto the blankets, feeling way too lazy to dig around the bags for my pyjamas.

I slip off my shoes and jacket before burrowing under the pink plaid comforter. I begin to think that maybe I should call Matt and tell him I got here just fine, but my mind is already slipping into sleep.

Matthew Barker and his tardiness can wait, for all I care.


	2. Twenty Two

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything.

Thanks to XxXTwilight-SinXxX and KageYami for being my first reviewers!

AU: I made a very embarassing mistake of calling XXII 'Twenty-One' - thank you to Katarina Krahe for pointing it out, haha.

* * *

_Chapter Two_

I wake up fifteen minutes before seven as if by some internal alarm clock, much to my displeasure. I spend a few moments in the quiet of the morning, enjoying the comfort of the warm bed, before managing to drag my feet over the edge of the bed.

"Nnrrgh," I glare at the clock on the table, annoyed at myself for deciding not to unpack at least some slippers. The wooden floors are cold to the touch and there's a slight chill in the spring air. "Who the hell left the window open," I mutter to the empty room, shuffling forward to shut it closed. It sticks in its frame but creaks closed when I pull it towards me, nearly falling out in the process. But hey, at least there's a nicely placed tree there that looks like it'll be easy to climb down. You know, in case one of my new dormmates decides to go wacko again.

My reflection in the mirror catches my attention as I'm pulling back and I grimace, heading over to the sink to try and fix myself up. I rummage through my bag for my toothbrush and toothpaste on the way, grabbing my hair brush as well. Gee, I really hope I didn't look this horrible last night, or I'll never get this introductions thing down.

_Maybe it's the eyes_, I ponder while brushing my teeth. Grandmother always said I looked like a bat out of hell (Mom liked to dress me up as a little devil for Halloween and coo over how cute Minato and I were. He always had to go as Jack Frost – HA!) with the red eyes and the long, brunette hair. I twist my head this way and that, deciding that no, my eyes didn't _really _look red unless the light hit them a certain way, and once my hair and hairbrush warred with my hairbrush emerging victorious, I looked presentable. Grandmother has wanted to give me a haircut for several years now, but no way was I letting her anywhere near my hair. It took many years and hours in the shower to grow it out this long!

I spit out the excess water and flip my hair back so it rests at the small of my back. My bangs and hair pins look awfully crooked after I spent the whole night sleeping in them, and I fix the hair on my forehead so it hangs just above my right eye, and the silver bobby pins back into their _XXII _numeral shape – twenty-two, for the date my parents and brother died. February 2nd, 1999. My own little way of reminding myself what had happened on that night.

Someone had hung the girl's version of the school uniform on the back of my door without me even noticing and I wonder for a second as I'm putting it on if I should have registered under my birth name, Minako Arisato. It was changed to my middle name Isabella (after my mother) and I took my Grandmother's last name when I began living with her in England. I scrunch my nose at the reminder – Grandmother and her posh house and love of cats and tea. Not that I have anything against cats – I love them, actually – and tea is a gift from the Heavens, but really, couldn't the woman tell we were in the twenty first century already?

A knock from the door trips me out from my memories. "It's Yukari. Are you awake?"

"Just a minute!" I call to her and pull the rest of the top down. I run a critical eye over it – I'd seriously have to ask about school rules on this, because as good as this looked, it just wasn't right. Yukari's had a shorter skirt, maybe I'd get mine hemmed… I never liked long skirts. Made me think of Grandmother too much.

"Good morning!" Yukari greets me once I open the door, looking much better after a night of rest. "Did you sleep okay?"

"More or less," I answer, heading over to where I dumped my bag the night before. I make sure to block Yukari's view with my body as I bend down to sweep my gun back into its pocket before standing up, swinging the strap over my shoulder. "What's up?"

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to the school." I weigh my options here – either arrive to school on time, or get lost and be late on the very first day. Oy vey. "Are you ready to go?"

I shrug in answer, hefting the bag into a more comfortable spot against my hip. "Sure, why not. I don't fancy getting in trouble over tardiness this early into the year."

My words bring a small chuckle out of Yukari. "I agree. Let's go."

I pause. "No breakfast?"

She sends me an amused look. "You'd have to get up a bit earlier for that. We don't have a Dorm mother or anything, so you'll have to buy your own food." Great. I'll be living on cereal for who knows how many months. If there was one thing my house England was good for, it was the breakfasts. "The school also has a small cafeteria, if you get hungry." Yes! Salvation!

The walk to the train station is spent in silence, and I chew at my bottom lip before coming to a decision. "Hey – Yukari-san?"

She jumps at my words, having been lost in her own little world. "About yesterday – uh, I'm sorry if I scared you. And if I was a bit of a bitch. I was pretty on edge the whole time after the plane ride here."

Yukari's smile brightens and her shoulders relax. So, my hunch was right after all. "It's okay. I get it." The conversation is dropped there as both of us try to wake up fully before getting to the school, and it's silent until we board the monorail that'll take us to Tatsumi Port Island.

Yukari flashes her yearly pass at me as I stare around in surprise. "We have to take the monorail to school." She grins as I walk towards one of the windows, navigating through groups of yawning and chattering students. She follows after me, sitting down at a seat by the wall. "Bet your last school wasn't like that, huh?"

"I should get one of those," I mutter, referring to the pass she has. Knowing me, I'd be too lazy to buy one of the daily tickets every morning. I watch the scenery zoom by, until suddenly there's an expanse of blue – the sky and the sea blend together at the horizon, blinding me for a few seconds.

"This is my favorite part…" My companion comments, sounding almost dreamy. "When it feels like you're gliding over the sea." There's a few minutes of silence as we continue to watch the scenery, and indeed, it does feel a bit like flying.

"Our stop is Port Island Station at the end of the line," Yukari comments, taking out her phone to check something. "From there, we walk." Looking satisfied, she puts it back away and looks up at me. "Have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island? It's a man-made island. They built our school right in the middle." Huh, I wonder why. The brunette cranes her head to look out the window again, then turns back to me. "Oh, look! You can see it now!"

A pearly white building rises out from the mix of the sea and the sky, surrounded by blooming cherry blossom trees. I have to keep my mouth from dropping at the sight of it, and when we walk up to the iron gates ten minutes after disembarking, it gets harder and harder to look unimpressed.

I lose the battle. "_Wow_," I comment, running a hand through my hair as the school towers above us. "Are you sure this is a school, and not the University of Tokyo, or something?"

Yukari chuckles, waving at a passing by student on a bike who greets her. "Morning!" She calls back, before turning to me. "Well, here we are." There's a knowing glint in her eyes as she grins at my blatant staring. "Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!" Oh, yes, I am. She begins to push me forward when I refuse to move, still in awe of the – very expensive – building.

"How do you guys keep it so clean?" I mutter to her out of the corner of my mouth as we walk, but she just shrugs.

"The Kirijo Group built it, and they're pretty orderly about these kinds of things." We stop at the entrance by the shoe lockers. "You're gonna be okay from here, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first." I awkwardly follow her example as she finds her locker and switches out her shoes; I do the same with mine, nodding.

"Sure, no problem." Hey, if I arrive late, I can so say I got lost! The props of being a transfer student. Yukari motions to a hallway to our left.

"The Faculty Office is right there – just head down the hall and enter the first door on your right." She stops, frowning a bit. "We don't really have any time before the first bell rings, so I guess that concludes the tour right here." She offers me a sheepish smile. "Do you have any questions before I go?"

I shake my head. "Nope, I'm okay."

"Hey, about last night…" I glance at Yukari, surprised she's bringing it up here, of all places. "Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? It's… not a hobby of mine I'd like to get around."

I just shrug in answer. "Only if you don't tell anyone about mine." She smiles, but still doesn't look satisfied.

"Sure. See you later." I watch her walk off and disappear up the staircase before turning my attention to the school lobby. Many students are lingering around, some in groups and some solo, and there's what seems to be a counter further up. Is this what Yukari meant by Cafeteria, I wonder?

My stomach growls in answer and I head there first thing, elbowing past others who are too busy talking to move. Some "excuse me"s and "get out of my way"s later, I end up next to a man who looks to be a teacher arguing with the vendor.

Poor woman, he looks like a grouch. "Some way to start the school year…" I hear him mutter before he stalks off, giving me a glare along the way. Ye-ouch. The woman seems to catch me staring, and shakes her head.

"You must be a new student," she says, and I nod. Her smile is friendly as she reaches up to brush some bangs away from her face. "I don't have enough bread here for everyone, so if you want some, it's best to get it early." She winks at me. "You know, just for future reference."

I end up buying an apple strudel with the money I brought and begin to wander over to where most of the students are gathered, munching on it on the way. Damn, the food here is pretty good – it's to be expected though, with the amount of money it costs to go here. Thankfully, my scholarship will cover most of it, with Grandmother pitching in where I need it. She might not have wanted me to come here, but even she's smart enough to realize a good school when she sees one.

I manage to sneak a peek over the head of some guy long enough to figure out that the class rosters are posted here; unfortunately for me, a quick scan later I don't see my name. I frown, dodging some elbows and shoulders as I try to get to the front.

"Excuse me, apple strudel coming through," I mutter to the students who absolutely refuse to move, and the mention of the sticky treat seems to do the trick. I scan the board from the front once again, before spotting the sticky note pasted to the top – _Isabella Payne; Class F. _Out of curiosity, I scan the papers for who else is in Class F, and Yukari's name pops up somewhere near the middle. Well, at least that's something that I should be glad for, I suppose.

I worm my way back out of the group, past some couple arguing about the guy always wearing his PE uniform – oh, wow, gross – before recalling that Yukari suggested going to the Faculty Office. Guessing that I have nothing better to do anyway, and since I don't even know where this Class F is (except that it's upstairs, from the direction Yukari was heading) I walk off to where she directed me earlier.

There's a man wearing a weird… helmet and a blonde guy with a fan in his hands talking loudly down the hall, and I stare for a few moments, catching snippets of "samurai" and "spirit" before tuning them out. They at least seem to be having fun, even if one of them does have a horrible French accent. "Faculty Office" is written in both kanji and English beside one of the doors and I slide them open, nearly bumping into someone on their way out.

"Ouch!" The person yelps, papers flying to the floor. I guess I just walked into a teacher… Damn. I bend down to pick them up, apologizing.

"Sorry, I didn't know there was someone on the other side." The woman – wearing an odd pink jumper suit – shakes her head, her brunette bob-like hairstyle bouncing with the movements.

"It's quite alright," she says once I hand the papers back to her, before peering at me closer. "Say… are you the new student?"

I blink, wondering if I really look that out of place. I personally thought I was doing fine up till now. The woman begins to rummage through some of the papers I had just helped her gather, looking for something.

Apparently, my file. "Isabella Payne… 11th grade, correct?" I nod, a bit surprised that my birth name hadn't made it into there. But, I guess no one outside of Japan ever knew it. The woman begins to flip through my file, her eyes scanning the pages. "It says you've lived in England for the past ten years with your guardian, right?"

I nod. "With my Grandmother, yes."

However, the teacher looks to be a little lost in her own world as she continues muttering to herself. "Let's see… in 1999…" Oh, I know what's coming now. "That was what, ten years ago? Your parents—" She trails off with a gasp, glancing up at me in apology. "I'm sorry… I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand." I wave it off – it's not like it's printed in big, bold letters on the front of the file, anyway.

"I'm Miss Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school."

She offers me her hand and I shake it, smiling. "Nice to meet you."

Miss Toriumi laughs a bit. "Such enthusiasm! We could use more go-getters like you." Well, I actually want to go back to bed. It's still early enough to catch a few hours of sleep, but… whatever you say.

"Have you seen the classroom assignments?" She continues, unaware of my thoughts. "You're in class 2-F; that's my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcome Ceremony will be starting soon." She begins to leave for the doors, motioning for me to come along. "Follow me."

All I have to say on our way there is that this school is _huge. _

Inside the auditorium, however, it's a whole different story – the principal is a short, balding man with a double chin and glasses that look like they're doing more harm than good. "As you begin the new school year…" I tune him and his voice out after the first sentence in favor of looking around. Many students seem to be on the edge of leaving the auditorium in boredom, and a few look like they're even sleeping upright. I swear some guy in a hat behind me starts snoring.

"I heard we got a transfer student…"

I perk up at the whisper coming from somewhere behind me.

"Yep. I've seen her, too. She came to school with Yukari." Oh, wow, am I some animal in a zoo? And the way he says the sentence makes me think that Yukari's got her own little group of fans around here. Interesting.

There's a scuffle from the teachers sitting by the wall, between my homeroom teacher and the grumpy man from earlier. It seems to quiet down soon enough, but the principal's speech is still droning on.

Hmm… I wonder if I'll be able to master the art of sleeping with open eyes by the end of this year.

* * *

Something hard is poking at my side several hours later, bringing me away from my land of sleep. I turn in the direction, starring blearily at the blob beside me.

"'Sup, dude!" The blob becomes clearer, and I recognize the guy snoring from earlier. At least he looks like he got his sleep, unlike someone I know…

The guy laughs. "You look like a deer in headlights," he comments, grinning, leaning against the desk beside mine. He, too, is wearing a blue shirt underneath his uniform jacket and a baseball hat. I really _do _need to look up the dress code here.

I can't help but glare at him, now that I know he's the one who woke me up. "…What do you want?" I manage to mumble through a yawn, sitting up to stretch my sore muscles. Man, these Japanese desks were not made for sleeping… it's a wonder how many kids I see sleeping in class, anyway.

The guy does something that looks a lot like a pout. "Oh, come on! Let me introduce myself at least!" I raise one brow, waiting for him to go on. "I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya."

"Likewise," I mutter, ready to either head home or catch another nap, but the guy goes on. "I transferred here when I was in eighth grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid…" All this new kid wants to do is sleep off her jetlag, for God's sake. "So I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day."

I stare up at him, surprised. "That's… oddly nice of you."

Another voice interrupts us, this time familiar. And mocking. "At it again, huh?" Yukari walks up to stand by my desk, glaring at this Junpei fellow. "Honestly, is there any girl you wouldn't hit on?" Aw, I'm flattered. This also reminds me… I need to call Matt. "Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?" Yukari continues, hands on her hips. Kind of bitchy there Yukari, don't you think?

Junpei frowns, reaching up to scratch at his ear. "What? I was just being friendly."

Yukari snorts, looking like she doesn't believe a word of what he's saying. "If you say so." She turns to face me, completely blocking out the guy. Ouch, I sense some tension here. "Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?"

I yawn again, admitting the fact that I won't be getting back to sleep anytime soon now. "It took me by surprise," I say, dumping a textbook we got handed out into my messenger bag. Junpei looks somewhat put-out at being ignored and maneuvers around the desks so both Yukari and I can see him now.

"Um, hello? Did you forget I'm in this class too? C'mon, lemme me in on the fun!" What _fun, _Iori? "By the way, do you guys know each other? I heard you guys came to school this morning." His face morphs into a slight leer as he eyes us up. "A couple cuties like you, walking side by side… The whole class was buzzing about you."

I grimace. "Yipp-di-doo."

Yukari obviously agrees with me, just not with that choice of words. Her glare is burning holes through Junpei's forehead before she sighs, annoyed. "Ugh. Could you cut it out? I hate dealing with rumours like that. I mean, I'm used to it—" Huh, so I was right! That'd kind of weird, considering how different she was yesterday night. "-but she just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumours like that?" She doesn't let him answer before plowing on. "Anyway, I've got stuff to take care of for the archery team. You better not try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?"

The guy shrugs in answer and we both watch her walk off in silence. He finally scoffs, breaking it. "What is she, your nanny…?" I just raise and lower one shoulder in response, flattered that she'd go this far to defend me, but really, I can defend myself just fine.

"Well, just to clear everything up—" I glance up at where Junpei is standing, looking uncomfortable. "I seriously didn't come over here to hit on you or anything." Ouch, thanks. He seems to have missed the implications of his words, though. "If you ever have a problem, you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it!"

He kind of reminds me of a dog Matt used to have. Cute thing it was, always wagging its tail and running around. I smile at the memory, deciding to humour this guy. "Thanks."

He chuckles. "No prob! My door's always open, so to speak." I don't really like dogs, but I feel like I might begin to like this guy.

"Hey, let me walk you back to your dorm." He rushes on before I can say anything. "I mean, I don't want you getting lost on your first day here."

"Actually," I say as I stand up, gathering my bag onto my shoulder. "I used to live here. But lead the way." I offer him a teasing smile and we head off downstairs, then past the entrance doors – after changing our shoes, of course. This is kind of troublesome.

The sky outside is painted in hues of orange reflected on the school walls. It's a kind of dreamy feeling, and I barely have any time to appreciate it before Junpei walks on. I catch up to him as he watches a few students run by, obviously at some sort of practice.

"Whoa, check out the jocks on their run…" We watch them until they disappear around the corner before walking on. "Hey, did anyone tell you about the school clubs yet?" I shake my head in answer. "Girls can join too, so why not do it if you're interested? You'd be joining as a new member though, so you won't be able to apply for a little while." Hmm, that actually sounds worthwhile.

"I'll have to think about it."

The way back is spent with Junpei telling his cheesy jokes and small talk between us.

"You said you lived here?" He asks at one point in time, and I nod. "Why'd you move?"

I shrug. "There was an accident, so my Grandmother came and picked me up to live with her in England."

Junpei winces. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"Whatever, it's fine."

"Is that what the hairpins in your hair are for?" I do a double take at the guy, whose cheeks flush a light pink. "Wh-what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"…I'm surprised you noticed, is all." I allow myself a small smile – most people disregard it as a fashion statement. "Yeah. It stands for twenty-two – the second day of the second month."

"…Sorry," he offers again, but I shake my head.

"Don't worry about it."

We part ways at the entrance of the Dorm and I step in, breathing in deep the warm air, happy to be away from the chill of April air. Mitsuru is sitting on one of the couches, reading a book. She glances up when I enter and greets me with a "Welcome back", but goes back to her novel right after. I shrug; not like it matters anyway. There's a sign-in sheet at the counter and I notice that Yukari hasn't signed in yet, but some guy named "Akihiko Sanada" has. How many people do we have in this dorm, anyway? It's mighty big for just four students.

I collapse in one of the sofas after getting a bowl of ramen from the kitchen cupboards, clicking the TV on low enough so I won't disturb the senior. There's some documentary going on about the cherry blossoms blooming late this year and I flip through the channels, trying to find something interesting.

There's a tinkling of a bell at the door that I hadn't noticed before as Yukari steps in, hugging her jacket closer to her body. She spots me glaring at the TV as she signs in like I did, and chuckles. "Good luck with that," she comments, walking up to stand behind me. "There's, like, nothing good ever on here."

I crane my head back and eye her upside down. "Are you serious?" There's a hint of a whine in my voice, but she just laughs it off.

"You should be studying instead of spending all your time watching TV," Mitsuru comments, and I recoil at the reminder. "There's exams coming up soon."

Yukari stares at her, aghast. "But – Mitsuru-senpai, we just started today!" Mitsuru eyes her with a look that just screams _So? _"You aren't already studying, are you?"

I sneak a peek at her novel – some title in French, looking like a romance by the cover. "Actually, I was planning on heading out tonight, exploring the city before it gets completely dark."

There's an immediate shift in the atmosphere around the two – Yukari tenses, while Mitsuru seems to become even more serious, if at all possible. "You're probably tired, right?" Correct, Yukari, but the city awaits! "Maybe you should go to bed early tonight." I look at her like she's from some other planet.

"Yukari, I'm seventeen – do you know any seventeen-year old who goes to sleep before nine PM?"

She grimaces. "You've got a point."

Looks like Mitsuru has other plans. "You really shouldn't be outside on your own at night. It's too dangerous." I raise both eyebrows at her.

"Dangerous, Mitsuru-senpai? I wasn't aware this city had a crime record."

"Well – you said you ran into a thug last night, didn't you?" Yukari pipes up, sounding nervous. She stares at our senpai for several seconds; traitor. "So… maybe it's best that you stayed in tonight. Or at least until one of us can accompany you."

I almost pout. Whatever game they're playing at, it's interrupting with my plans of finding the kid from prison around here. Maybe I should be looking for a mental ward instead?

"Takeba is right," Mitsuru continues, turning a page in her book, not even looking at us anymore. How she can stay so composed 24/7, I don't think I'll ever find out. "Just so you don't fall into the danger of sleeping in class, I suggest it's best to get as much rest as possible when you can."

I ogle her – how did she know I spent most of my day sleeping? Or maybe she was making an educated guess?

I notice that my ramen has gotten colder during all of this and sigh, admitting defeat. "Alright, alright. I have a phone call to make anyway." Yukari offers me a smile as I stand up, looking embarassed, but Mitsuru merely continues her book. "But we seriously need to go grocery shopping, there's nothing in the fridge but yogurt, milk and ramen."

This gets the Ice Queen to look up, smirking. "Are you volunteering, Payne-san?"

I wince at the honorific. "Please, Mitsuru-senpai, just… use my first name, honorifics if you must. My surname is a horrible play on words."

She looks amused. "I'll think about it, Payne-san." Ouch, that's just cruel. Yukari giggles, already walking off in the direction of the desks and the bookcases at the far wall.

"Good night," she calls with a wave over her shoulder, and I trudge my sorry self up the stairs. No dinner tonight, or fresh air… man, this kind of sucks. Why are they all telling me to sleep, anyway?

I collapse into one of the cushioned seats on the second floor, staring into my ramen cup. "Much good you did," I mutter into it, glancing up at the soda machines sitting by the wall. "Might as well," I decide, knowing that while the two were right about me being ready to fall asleep on my feet, I'll need caffeine to stay awake for my call to Matt. I dig around in my bag and manage to find some spare change, but when I insert it into the slot, nothing happens.

I glare at it, coming _this _close to kicking it. "…You're kidding me."

"It'll work if you thump it on the side."

I jump at the unexpected voice, turning around to stare at the silver-haired guy locking one of the bedroom doors behind him. _This must be the "Akihiko Sanada" on the sign-in sheet, _I realize. He walks towards me, punching the machine lightly on the side and watching in satisfaction as a can tumbles out.

I pick up the Mad Bull. "Thanks." There's an awkward silence where neither one of us says anything, before his face seems to light up in realization.

"Hey, you're our new dormmate, right?" No, I'm just breaking in here to steal some of your soda.

I nod. "Yeah. Isabella Payne, nice to meet you."

He considers the name for a second. "It doesn't sound Japanese, and you look like a foreigner." He looks me over closer, from head to toe in the way really oblivious people do. "America?"

"England," I correct him, already making plans to escape this situation the least embarrassing way possible. Here I am being checked out by a handsome guy, and he doesn't even notice he's doing it.

He grins. "Got it. I'm Akihiko Sanada, a senior."

Tradition, tradition… I manage a bow. "Nice to meet you, Sanada-senpai."

"Likewise." He begins to head for the stairs, his jacket slung over one shoulder. So he's allowed to go out and I'm not? Way to be sexist, Mitsuru. "I'll see you around."

"Bye," I call out after him, staring at the stairs until his red vest disappears from sight. _What kind of people have silver hair at the age of eighteen, anyway? _I wonder as I grab my bag, throwing the ramen out, and head up to my room. It's a bit stuffy in there from being closed all day, so I leave the door open a bit as I collapse on the desk chair.

It rolls backwards and I sigh, stretching. The bed looks so inviting, but… annoying friends come first.

Matt picks up on the third ring. "You're late," I say before he can greet me, making sure my voice sounds as flat as it can be.

I can just see him wincing on the other end. "Sorry, Izzy-baby. Your Grandmother has been raising a fuss to my parents ever since you left."

His words make any annoyance I had towards him disappear and I groan, letting my head fall back as I stare up at the ceiling. "Seriously? Again?"

My best friend chuckles. "Yeah. Seems she's quite set on getting you and I hitched." I make a face at the white plaster, tracing patterns on it. "How's Japan?"

"Wacko," I answer back without a second's thought. "Both of my new dormmates seem to have this strange fascination with guns."

"And you don't?" I shrug, even though he can't see it.

"I only use mine for self-defense. With them, it's like, I walk in and BAM – first thing I have is a gun pointed at me." I roll my eyes, rolling around the room a bit more. "Then she points it at herself and it just gets even weirder from there."

It's like I can feel a change in Matt's demeanor as his voice gets more serious. "The Green Hour?"

"Already experienced it." I get up and walk towards the window, opening it to lean out far enough so anyone outside in the hall or nearby rooms wouldn't be able to hear it. I make sure to keep my voice low. "It happens right at midnight here, like we thought. And I already ran into four people awake during it – one in the city who warned me to keep away from the Monsters, some weird kid, and those two dormmates I mentioned. Your work on my phone went just fine, though." There's silence on the other end and I can hear him rummaging around for some pen and paper.

"Have you seen any of the Monsters there yet?" He asks after a few minutes.

"None. But I'm kind of not allowed to leave at night unless I climb down this tree I'm staring at, so I doubt I'll be seeing them anytime soon."

"You're not allowed to leave?" I can just see the disbelief on his tanned face. "What do you mean?"

I twirl a strand of hair around my fingers as a burst of wind rushes by, making my skin prickle at the cold. "I don't know. It's kind of weird; the people in this Dorm are so paranoid, it's not even funny. For example, did you ever find a crime record on Iwatodai?"

Matt snorts over the line. "Crime? There? Please, that place is as clean as Kirijo can cover it up. There's an outbreak of strange comas and their hospitals are becoming overflowed, but that's it."

"That reminds me – Kirijo. Mitsuru Kirijo is bunking here, and from the nameplate outside, it seems to be the Company's personal Dorm." I pause, thinking it over. "Of course, it could be on all Dorms, but I haven't had the time to explore yet."

He hums in answer. "But otherwise, how are you?"

I mull the answer over in my head before replying. "Fine, really. Jetlag's being a little bitch and the school looks like some monument, but I'll live." I remember the Mad Bull sitting on my desk and shut the window, grabbing the drink as I wander over to the bed. I pop it open while Matt does the version of a manly giggle on his end.

"Why aren't you asleep yet then?" I take a sip and roll my eyes at the absurdity of his question.

"Matt, it's not even nine PM and I've been sent to bed. I'm being rebellious."

This time it's full blown laughter, and I drink the soda as I wait for him to calm down. "You'll be asleep five minutes after getting off the phone with me," he finally says, his voice confident.

"Stop grinning," I bite back, even though I know fully well he's right. "How are things on your end?"

There's a pause of silence, and the hum of a computer starting up. I should have known he'd be holed up in his room like always. "Nothing's changed. Amanda claims she's found a breakthrough on the voices talking inside our heads, but, well…" He trails off and I snort in agreement.

"It's Amanda," I finish for him. Indeed, Amanda Crockell was as blonde and ditzy as anyone could ever dread to be. She's been claiming the voice inside her head talks to her in fully formed sentences for several days now… she could be a great friend, but on the field of research, I'd rather have Matt.

Said person gives a murmur of agreement. "Keep me updated on what's going on over there… and get some sleep. You're a terror when you're grumpy."

"Says the one who should be in school at the moment." There's a sound of protest from Matt, but I interrupt him. "Whatever, you and I both know it's not like our teachers care anyway. Say hi to Amanda and Ben for me. And feed Mr. Truffle."

"That cat doesn't _need _anymore food." I flush at the comment, drawing my knees up to my chest.

"Don't insult Mr. Truffle," I mutter, and Matt bursts out laughing. I wince at the sound of static from the other line.

"His name is Mr. Truffle, Izzy, I think that says something for his state of… health."

"I was seven when I named him and I like chocolate truffles. So there. We've had this conversation plenty of times before."

"Stop glaring. And go to bed." I put the phone back to my ear from where I was, in fact, drilling holes into it.

"Yeah. Go to school. Goodnight."

Matt chuckles, his voice getting softer. "Love you, kiddo."

Even though I'm the one older than him by two months, his words make something warm and fuzzy dance in my chest. "Love you too, bastard." I shut the phone closed and stare at it for a few seconds before flinging myself onto the pillows (I almost spill the soda, but manage to put it safely on the table before that happens). My eyes roam over the untouched luggage in the corner and I bite at my lower lip.

To unpack… or to not unpack… that is the question.

With a great sigh, I heave myself out of the bed and plop down by the first bag. Out comes my laptop, a set of spare clothes, a warmer jacket, and other random miscellaneous stuff that I dump around the room until it looks at least somewhat lived in. I refrain from unpacking anything else just in case I get moved out again and have to pack, and set the laptop on the desk before changing into my pyjamas and falling into bed.

My dreams are full of bubbles and voices, falling down holes and yellow eyes in the moon. At one point in time I'm running in a maze with no exit in sight, girlish laughter following me at every corner I take.

"_Wake up!" _It cries, almost screeches. _"WakeupWakeupWakeup_WAKEUP!"

I sit up in my bed with a gasp, not realizing that Yukari is calling for me from the hall. "Isabella, are you awake? Wake up!"

I clear my throat a few times, gripping the sheets with my hands. "Go on ahead without me!" I yell back, checking the time on the bedside clock; 7 AM, and the school bell goes at 8:05. I'd have to hurry if I wanted to make it in time.

"Are you sure?" Yukari asks, her voice uncertain.

"Yeah, I'm not even ready yet. I'll be fine, I remember the way."

There's a slight pause on the other side of the door. "Okay. The next train comes at 7:15, so… I'll see you there."

"Yeah, okay!"

It's a mad rush for me as I hurry to get dressed, grab my bag and run in the direction of the station. I make it just in time and step onto the train as the doors close, sighing as I lean against one of the walls. I don't see Yukari's pink jacket anywhere and gather that she's on another part of it.

We don't run into each other at the entrance of the school, either, but I do overhear a pair of loud students gossiping amidst each other.

"Did you hear the rumour?" One asks, leaning against one of the cherry blossom trees. I slow down a bit, curious.

"Oh, um… something about a bathroom?" Nevermind, rewind; I pick up my pace, but the first girl's laughter still reaches my ears.

"No! Not that one! I mean the story about the first year student!" Oh, couldn't these people in front of me walk any faster?

"Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day. If her mother tries to talk to her, she only mutters to herself…" The girl lowers her voice, trying to make her story sound creepy. "'It's coming… It's coming…!'"

Her friend doesn't sound all that impressed. "Huh. How about that."

"You don't believe me…?" I don't really believe you, either. Thankfully, the first bell goes and I'm nearly run over by a horde of students suddenly streaming into the school. It's like the Calgary Stampede in this place.

* * *

Composition class drags on and on sometime in the afternoon, and I catch snippets of Miss Toriumi half talking to the class, but mostly to herself as I stare out the window. I bribed the kid next to me with Cafeteria food to switch seats so I could sit next to the window and stare out at it all day long.

"Ugh, why him…?" I know, Miss Toriumi, I know. Why us? As much as I like school, the day outside seems to be much more inviting… "I'd rather teach Utsubo Kubota." Uh, who? Guess we weren't thinking about the same things after all…

There's a subtle kick at my chair a few minutes later, and Junpei's low voice – "Psst? Who does she like?"

I assume we're talking about literature wise? "Er… Utsubo Kubota?" I mutter low enough for him to hear. He echoes it back to the teacher and there's a rustle of whispering in the class when Ms. Toriumi smiles.

"That's right! So you were listening to me after all!"

Junpei chuckles. "Well, you know how I like to pay attention!" When she turns away, he leans forward to ruffle my hair a bit. I jerk away from him, refraining from turning around to glare. "Man, you saved my bacon, Isabella!"

There's more whispering around the class, and I catch someone say – "She gave him the answer… she must pay attention in class!" They sound… impressed. Uhm, what? Isn't cheating usually looked down upon?

Man, these kids are one weird bunch…

I head out in search of mental hospitals or prisons for troubled children after school ends, but alas, my search bears no fruit. Getting bored, I decide to head back to the Dorm. Yukari is already there when I enter, along with a man I haven't seen around before; they're talking on the couches in quiet tones, but their faces indicate that it's something serious.

The bell above me announces my arrival and Yukari glances up. "Oh, you're back."

The brunette man looks up at me, smiling. "So, this is our new guest…"

I stop, confused. "Er… yeah. Nice to… meet you."

He chuckles, motioning for me to come sit. I do so, plopping down on the couch beside Yukari. "Good evening," he greets. "My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school." So someone working for the Kirijo Company… that makes much more sense.

I smile back at him, a bit more relaxed. He looks a bit like the grandfatherly type, with long light brown hair and spectacles. He looks pretty smartly dressed too, but I bet he isn't even old enough to be a grandfather.

"'Ikutsuki'… Hard to say, isn't it?" He laughs to himself, but I don't find it that funny. "That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes…" Er, okay. He's a bit odd. …Just like the rest of the people here.

"I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations." I shake my head in answer.

"No, it's quite fun. The rooms here are pretty nice."

He smiles, nodding. "Good, seeing as how it may take a while longer before you receive the proper room assignment." He pauses, looking expectant. "Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

"Why did you come here?" Not to be rude or anything, but he could have just asked someone to relay the message to me.

"To welcome you, of course." I… see. He glances around the room, as if looking for someone. "Speaking of which… where is Mitsuru, Yukari?"

Yukari shifts on the cushions beside me, looking uncomfortable as always. This Dorm doesn't seem to be doing her any good. "She's upstairs."

The Chairman shakes his head with a sigh. "As diligent as always. Although it doesn't hurt to come down and say hello…" He turns back to me. "Do you have another question?" Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Yukari watching me with the same expectant look he has.

"…No, not really."

The mood seems to deflate as the guy stands up, still smiling. "Then, I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He glances down at me as both Yukari and I move to stand up. "You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early."

What is it with these people and telling me when to sleep?

"As they say, "the early bird catches the bookworm"!" I blink, and Yukari slaps her forehead. That… doesn't really make any sense.

Ikutsuki seems to realize this, looking abashed. "… Please forgive the bad pun."

Yukari turns to me once he's out the door. "You'll get used to his lame jokes." I nod at her, not quite believing it.

"Right… whatever you say." I head upstairs without another word, disgruntled. What if I wanted to go out Clubbing or something?

There's no new emails (except spam) waiting for me when I check my laptop, and I grab a sandwich I threw into the mini fridge earlier to snack on before dressing in my pyjamas and settling on the bed. Yet again, there's nothing on the TV and I settle myself in for another long night of sleep.

Well… at least I'm still tired. I hate flying.

* * *

My dreams seem to have other plans. There's a voice on the edge of my subconscious, lingering between sleep and reality.

"…Master…" I try to wave it away with what awareness I have, but it continues on, persistent. "…Master Isabella Payne…" How does it know my name?

Abruptly, I'm soaring through an abyss – I catch a black and white checkered floor below me before I find myself heading towards a purple door, which opens just as I reach it. I shut my eyes tight against the sudden onslaught of light, afraid.

When I open them again, I'm sitting in something hard – we're in a large… elevator? The entire wall before me stretches up to the Heavens, made out of iron patterns with walls and light passing by behind it. A large, old fashioned clock face sits on the wall further up, the hands ticking madly; there's doors and mirrors on both sides of the large elevator room, some covered with purple sheets and some not.

There's a man sitting on the other side of the round table, his chin resting on his linked fingers as he watches me look around. When he catches my eye, he gives me a nod and a large smile – his eyes are too large for his face, looking like they're going to fall out, and he has a mane of white hair and dark eyebrows. His nose brings Pinocchio to shame with its length.

He gestures around the place, and I see that his fingers are all the same length. His pointed ears confirm my suspicions: I'm dealing with an elf. A creepy elf, but an elf nonetheless.

What the hell has my mind been smoking when I wasn't paying attention?

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the mysterious old gentleman says, his voice low in his throat. "My name is Igor. …I am _delighted _to make your acquaintance." Okay, creepy pedophile elf. Where's the exit to this place?

"Please to meet you," I reply back sarcastically, but it's like the guy hasn't even heard me.

"This place exists between dream and reality…" he continues on, gazing at me from his couch. "Between mind and matter…" He snaps his fingers, startling me, and a sheet of white paper appears in his hands. I peer at it, surprised that it looks familiar. "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place." Indeed, it's the contract the creepy boy from earlier made me sign.

Are these two in cahoots?

"Do you know the guy who gave that to me?" I ask, but Igor just chuckles.

"Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in Velvet Room." All this place needs is mysterious music, and we're set to go. "You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so." Unique ability? What, you mean my tendency to stick my foot in my mouth in nearly every conversation that I have?

"I only ask one thing in return…" Oh my God, I knew he was a pedophile elf! Mind, this is your body calling! Abort! Abort mission!

"Errrrrr…."

"I ask that you abide by the contract-" Oh, okay. I can do that. "-and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

That… actually sounds serious. I stop trying to look for an emergency exit and settle into the weird chair.

"Is this a dream?" I decide to ask, even though he already mentioned we were somewhere between dreams and reality.

Igor nods, sounding satisfied. "Precisely… You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is merely a dream; however, you will come here on your own accord, sooner or later."

I doubt it, but whatever floats your boat. The man snaps his fingers again; "Hold on to this," he says, and it's like I feel something warm drop into the pocket of my pyjama shirt.

Igor frowns and turns his attention to one of the uncovered doors to the left side of the room. "There are still two more residents of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival." He pauses, pursing his lips. "But I'll make sure you three are properly introduced… Another time, perhaps." His eyes swing back to me, his smile widening into a satisfied smirk.

"'Til we meet again…"

And the room fades out, just like that.


	3. SEES and Houdinis

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything.

Thanks to KageYami and Katarina Krahe for reviewing the previous chapter! :)

* * *

_April 28, 1999._

_Brother,_

_England is lonely. The house is big. Grandmother says you're not ever coming back. Is that true?_

_No, I know it's true. I'm not an idiot, Brother – I'm the older one, right? Don't you ever forget it. How's Momma? How's Papa? Is Heaven full of candy, like Momma told us it was? Did you meet a pretty angel?_

_I met an angel. He says he's not an angel, and he doesn't look like one, but I know he is. He definitely is. None of the kids want to play with me because I'm "cursed", but he sat next to me and said his name was Matthew. He laughed and said to call him 'Matt'. He has a nice laugh, like Momma's. _

_He's not like the icky boys back home, Brother. He's nice. He gave me his lollipop and said that – that it "wasn't my fault". It's a lie. Even Grandmother looks at me, and says that I should have died. She calls me Isabella – Momma's name. I don't like it._

_She says I'm a big girl now, and need to "own up to my responsibilities." What does that mean? _

_I don't know why I'm asking you, Minato. I'm the older one, after all._

…_I'm the only one left now, after all__. _

_I miss you. _

_Minako_

_

* * *

_

_Chapter Three_

When I wake up the next morning, it feels like I had the strangest dream ever – there's flashes of purple and an old man, as well as the sensation of moving. I shake it off before getting ready for school; there's no one at the Dorm when I come downstairs, so I grab an energy bar from the kitchen and head in the direction of the Station.

I run into Junpei at the gates – literally. I wince from the impact he made on my shoulder as he apologizes, rubbing at his eyes.

"Man, I'm so sleepy today…" I can see that, boy-o. He stretches his arms above his head, yawning, and I snicker as his hat almost flies off his head. "In times like these, it's best to sleep in class!" I only come up to his nose and he grins down at me. "You ever notice how sometimes taking a nap in class makes you feel more refreshed than sleeping at home?"

In these desks? Right. "I don't sleep in class."

He sends me a funny look. "…And who was it that was asleep on the first day of classes?"

I shrug, switching out my shoes at the lockers. "That's 'cause I had jet lag, silly. How do you think I managed to get into a scholarship here?"

He stares at me, then sighs. "Maaan, why do you have to be all serious?" He continues talking as we head up to class. "That feeling of being completely recharged is awesome… But I'm screwed later since I didn't hear the lecture!" He laughs, poking me in the shoulder. "But that's what I have you for, right?"

I send him a Look. "Sure you do buddy, sure you do."

He chuckles, but his mood takes a darker turn all of a sudden. "Oh, but we have class literature today… That means we're stuck with Mr. Nasty ol' Ekoda…"

Sure enough, the grumpy man I've seen before walks in a few moments before the second ball rings. He glares at each of us in turn as he looks around. "I'm Mr. Ekoda. I'll be teaching you Classic Literature." He clears his throat, shuffling through a few papers on his desk. "I'll be teaching you about good old Japan all year." There's the sound of groans from the students and I join in, even though history is usually my favorite subject.

The man goes on, ignoring us. "Some people say Classic Lit isn't relevant to everyday life, but oh, how they're wrong! The students, the other teachers…" He scowls, beginning to pace. Oh wonderful, he's one of _those _teachers. "Wrong, wrong, wrong! Nobody really understands Classic Lit…"

Against my will, my eyes begin to drop as he goes on and on about this and that, but I manage to keep them open, even though I can hear Junpei snoring behind me yet _again_. Really, it's a wonder the teachers haven't caught him yet.

I stay awake as the man barks out of nowhere, "HEY, are you all listening to me? Wake up, children! Now open your textbooks!" There's some mumbling and the leafing of papers as we all settle in for two hours of boring lecturing.

Yukari finds me after school at the shoe boxes and somehow ropes me into going back with her. We end up at the Paulownia Mall, where Yukari proceeds to give me a short tour.

I was going to tell her I've been here before, but she looks like she's having fun, so whatever.

"A lot of Gekkoukan students come here after school," I comment as we weave through crowds of kids going home.

Yukari nods. "Yea, 'cause there's a karaoke box and a CD Shop. There's a really great café, too. There's also a nightclub, but that's kinda not for us yet." Maybe not for you, Yukari, but you can bet I'll be visiting it sometime in the future.

We end up hanging around the CD Shop and buying a bucket of ice cream for the Dorm before heading back. Mitsuru is the only one there, leafing through some books behind the counter. She nods at us as we enter.

"Welcome back." She glances out the window, and I follow her gaze. The full moon hangs low in the sky, casting a brilliant light on the trees and streets below.

"The moon is beautiful tonight," I comment to her, and she glances at me, smiling in appreciation.

"Indeed. It might be nice to read a book by moonlight once in a while." I grin at the redhead, glad that we seem to have something finally in common.

She seems to be busy with her work – records of how we're doing here at the Dorm or something, apparently – so I head over to where Yukari is chilling out at the couches, some of the icecream we bought earlier spooned into a bowl in front of her.

She catches me looking at it and nods towards the kitchen. "There used to be a dorm mother here to do stuff like cooking, but there's just us students here now." That's too bad – I kind of get the feeling that neither one of us can cook a proper meal to save our lives. The extent of my cooking covers only the basics and some of the beyond. "It'd be great to have somebody like that doing stuff for us, don't you think?"

I think over her question. "Maybe just the cooking… I hate people going into my room."

She smiles in agreement. "Same here. And, I mean, I'm not a good cook, and Mitsuru-senpai just doesn't do things like that…" Yeah, she really doesn't. But now I have to wonder – how does manage to live on all the crap we have stored here?

"You know," Yukari continues, gazing wistfully at the kitchen. "If you're handy around the kitchen, I bet you could really do something with this place!"

"Maybe I'll try it sometime," I reply before heading over to the desks in the back. Ekoda had given us an essay to write on something or the other already, so might as well get started on it, right? I have a feeling Junpei will be asking me about it tomorrow anyway.

I finish sometime around ten in the evening and stretch, popping the kinks in my back. "Mr. Ekoda's essay?" Yukari questions as she passes by with her own set of books in her arms, and I nod. She winces. "Uh, I haven't even started."

I grin. "Good luck." She nods at me in thanks and heads off to study somewhere by herself, and I take a glance around the room – there's no sign of either Akihiko or Mitsuru, and with nothing healthy in the fridge – I should get on that grocery shopping – I decide to head upstairs. I still feel tired, even after three days of getting off the plane, but I just chalk it up to my body getting used to the new timezone and environment.

I wash my face and teeth before slipping into bed right in my clothes; there's an e-mail from Amanda blinking at me from my laptop screen, but I feel so tired that I'd kneel over before I could even reach it. It's not like it's gonna grow legs and run away somewhere, right?

* * *

I'm dancing the tango with my cat Mr. Truffle on the edge of the Grand Canyon when a large thud outside my dreams brings me awake. I stare at the ceiling for a few seconds as the thuds grow in volume from somewhere downstairs, and my first thought is _Mr. Truffle got even fatter _and once my brain wakes up, my second is _The Monsters are here._

There's a frantic series of knocks on my door right as I jump up, accompanied by Yukari's voice. "Wake up!" She sounds just as panicked as the first night I met her. She continues on before I can reply. "Sorry, I'm coming in!"

She looks like she just rolled out of bed from an unpleasant dream, but I have a feeling her appearance is caused by something else. "I don't have time to explain," she rambles on, grabbing my hand and tugging me towards the door. "But we have to get out of here, now!"

I swear when I realize that my gun is in my bag… on the other side of the room. By the sounds of downstairs, the situation seems to be serious. "Right, okay."

"Hurry!" Yukari calls while I stumble around for my shoes. "Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!" She's half-way out the door before she spins around, drawing…something from underneath her shirt. "Wait – take this, just in case."

And she hands me a short sword. A freaking short sword that doesn't even look real. Better than no weapon, I guess; I follow her out the door as we run downstairs and to the rear entrance. The light from outside is a hazy green and I'm startled to see that we're in the Green Hour. What was going on? Were the Monsters actually here?

"Alright," Yukari heaves a sigh, slumping against the door. "We should be safe for now-"

A beeping interrupts her and I notice that she's clutching her cellphone in her hands, which she brings up and switches to speakerphone. Mitsuru's voice filters through, sounding out of breath.

"Takeba, do you read me!"

"Y-yes! I hear you!"

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

Well, shit. I so should have taken the extra few moments to find my gun.

Yukari looks like she agrees. "What!"

There's a sudden ramming on the front entrance doors and we stare at it for a few seconds before high-tailing it for the stairs.

"Roof?" I ask her on the way to the 2nd floor, and when there's the sound of shattering glass and movement downstairs, she nods jerkily.

"It's getting closer," she gasps out as the sound follows us as we run. "K-Keep moving! Hurry!"

The door to the roof is locked, but Yukari fits in what looks like the master key and pushes it open. We barricade it closed behind us and shudder in the chilly night, but not without some relief.

Yukari groans, leaning against the wall. "The door's locked. I think we're safe for now."

I frown. "Yukari, what-"

A loud roar cuts me off from somewhere below and we both startle as, slowly, a large Monster emerges over the wall. Its hands are almost tentacle like as it waves them all around, the middle one holding a blue mask with an I on its forehead.

"You gotta be kidding me…!" I back up alongside Yukari, staring at the largest Monster I've seen up till now.

"It climbed up the wall…!" I manage to get out as it begins to advance on us, the swords it's holding in each of its hands waving towards us. And that's a shitload of swords, I tell you!

"That's the thing that attacked this place…" I glance at Yukari out of the corner of my eye as she begins to reach for something in the folds of her skirt. "We call them Shadows!" Shadows, Monsters, same thing.

"I have to fight…" I catch her mutter to herself as the "Shadow" gets even closer. "I…I can summon mine… No problem…" And she takes out her gun. I'm not even kidding you – she takes out the same gun she tried to shoot me – then herself – with and points it at herself.

I gape. "Yukari, what are you-"

Before I can finish, the ground underneath the Shadow glows red and suddenly Yukari is on fire, being flung towards the ground with a pained cry. Her gun skids towards me on the ground and I pick it up knowing that my stupid little short sword will do no good against this thing – it's then I notice that it's not actually a fully-built gun. For one thing, it's missing its safety and there's no place to load the bullets in.

I turn to stare into the mask of the Shadow, aghast, when there's a quiet whispering at my side – I turn, and the boy in the jailclothes is there, smiling at me. _"Go on," _he says, bringing his right hand slowly to his temple. His fingers make the shape of a gun, and he lets out a quiet_ bang. "You _can _do it, can't you?"_

I recall the way Yukari was pointing this at her forehead just a moment earlier, and wonder why she'd be talking of fighting and summoning right before committing suicide. Something… wasn't right.

The garbled voice in my head grows louder, as if trying to climb out onto the surface. I feel as if I'm underwater, moving in slow motion – I mimic the boy's movements, my left hand pressed close to my heart so that I can feel it beating.

"_It's called…_" the boy says as I take in a deep breath – three, two, one _– "…A Persona." _I mouth the name, and pull the trigger.

There's the sound of shattering glass deep inside of me and a sharp, raw pain in my head as my surroundings begin to glow. When it dies down, there's a figure floating before me – some sort of monster with a lyre on its back.

"_Thou art I…" _it says in the voice haunting my life, both asleep and awake. _"…And I am thou."_

Before either one of us – me, the creature, or the Shadow – can make a move, the "Persona" gives off a wail and begins to writhe in pain; I scream with it and collapse on the ground, clutching my head so that it doesn't explode. Beyond the tears gathering in my eyes I can see something happening to the human-like monster – it seems to fold into itself, crying out in pain as _something _climbs out of it, tearing it apart piece by piece.

The pain intensifies as it roars and I scream again in synch with it, swearing I can feel my head beginning to bleed; the creature pays me no attention but flings itself at the Shadow, tearing it to pieces. Bits of Shadow limbs and gore spray out towards me and the motionless Yukari a few feet away from me, its mouth feasting on it with howl after howl. When there is nothing left to kill, it turns its head towards me – it vaguely resembles a human shape, with a helmet made to look like an animal's skull on its head and remains of a tattered cloak behind it. A halo of white coffins surrounds it as it floats closer to me, and the feeling is almost… familiar?

The creature and I stare at each other for a few seconds, and I watch as it leans down towards me. With great hesitation I bring up one trembling hand to lay on the Persona's skull, but there's a great flash of white light and I automatically shield my body from it. When it fades, the first, human-like Persona is before me.

It fades into nothing as I stare at it, and sense Yukari waking up nearby.

"…Is it over…?" She mutters with a moan, sitting up with one hand to her head. I guess the fall was pretty bad. Almost like in answer to her question, there's a twitch from the carcass before us and a few of its hands begin to move on their own towards Yukari.

She scoots farther back, searching around for some sort of weapon. "N-no! Get away from me!"

I remember the short sword and the not-gun I still have and jump up, cursing the pain in my head as I run for Yukari. I dodge the slash of claws from the first Shadow piece but cry out as the second connects its hit, drawing blood from my waist down.

"You son of a bitch…" I growl out, rushing forward to stab one of them in the head with the fake sword. It does barely any damage and I have to jump away as both of them chase after me, forgetting Yukari in their wake.

"Use your Persona!" Yukari yells out to me as I run circles around the rooftop; her voice makes me pause in realization, and it costs me with another slash of sharp pain around my arm. I cry out at the sensation, but bring up the hand that's still holding Yukari's gun.

"Persona, huh?" I mutter, and shoot myself in the head.

The thing from before appears out of nowhere and bashes one of the Shadows over the head with its harp, dodging the hit of the second one as I bite my lip to stop from crying out in pain.

"Again!" I call out to whatever it's called before it can disappear, and there's barely any hesitation before it does a twirl in mid air and smashes its musical instrument straight into the mask of the Shadow.

Finally, when I realize nothing else will come out of hiding and jump me, I allow myself to crumple onto the ground with a low wail. My "Persona" floats before me, like it's awaiting my command – I stare at it and it stares back at me, silent, as I search for something to say.

"…Thank you," I finally manage to get out. It cocks its head, looking both feminine and male, with short silver hair and white armor and a golden lyre. Its eyes are the color of my own and I find myself unable to look away from them. "…What's your name?"

_[Orpheus.]_

I startle at the genderless voice inside my head, which continues to chuckle at my expression.

_[You call, and I answer.]_

I gape at Orpheus as it? begins to fade, until there's something like a trickling of water down the back of my skull and suddenly, I feel dead tired. As in, literally. I manage to make sure that Yukari is safe – looking shell-shocked, but safe – before allowing myself to topple over to my side.

I can hear Yukari's gasp through the haze of unconsciousness, as well as her voice, getting nearer with every word – "Are you okay! Come on…! Please…! Can you hear me!" She sounds close to tears. "Answer me!"

Sorry, Yukari. But Mr. Truffle and the Grand Canyon are waiting.

* * *

Or not. I'm awake within my dreams in the… Velvet Room? Whatever the creepy elf man called it, though the name does suit it rather well.

I take a glance at what I'm sitting on, and do a double-take when I notice that it's Orpheus' lyre. What the… I swear that it wasn't this before!

"It's so nice to see you again," Igor all but coos at me from the couch, and I decide that – what the hell, this is a dream, might as well enjoy it. He sounds like he knows what he's talking about, anyway.

"Were you expecting me?" I ask, curious, to which he just laughs.

"I did say you would visit again, didn't I?" I cross my arms over my chest in answer, noticing that I have no injuries while I'm in this room. As for the outside world, well… let's hope it goes by fine.

"Okay, go on."

He does just so. "You became unconscious after awakening to your…power." I nod, having gathered this much.

"Orpheus, right?"

He doesn't look surprised at my interrupting him. I think this old man-elf and I will get along just fine. "It is most… surprising, that he should be the one to answer you call." I lean forward, mimicking his position and lacing my fingers together as I balance on my knees.

"Surprising? Why?" He just sends me a look and I quiet down, making a note to myself to look up the name Orpheus sometime soon. "Okay… then, can you tell me what Orpheus _is_?"

Igor clucks. "Finally, a smart question." Hey, I'm insulted. "That power is called a Persona… It is a manifestation of your psyche."

I narrow my eyes. "My psyche?"

He nods, his nose bobbing along with him. "A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli… You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

I pause, biting at my lip in thought. "A mask, you say?"

Igor's eyes feel like they're boring through any 'mask' I may have. "When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength."

Something clicks. "So that's what the guns are for! Because any idiot can pick up a gun and shoot, but you actually have to think when you shoot _yourself…_" I trail off, letting out a deep breath. "Wow, that's actually kind of interesting. So you're saying that's why the voice inside my head – Orpheus – got louder whenever I was in danger?"

Igor's mouth thins out into a line from his usual smile. "I wasn't aware that you've heard the calling of your Persona for so long."

I falter, reaching out to brush my bangs back at the accusation in his voice. "Honestly, neither did I. I just thought it was… you know. Just something that came along with the Green Hour."

His eyebrows go up like bushy caterpillars. "Green Hour," he echoes, and I shrug.

"The sky turns green; it sounded like a sensible enough name to me." I quirk a smile at his quiet chuckling. "I'm glad I serve as such a great amusement to you."

He clears his throat, trying to bring us back on topic. "Now… this Persona ability… it evolves as you develop your Social Links – your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability."

He stops for me to say something, but I can't really find anything. "That's… kind of not right." He nods for me to elaborate, which I do. "I mean – I'd be manipulating people just so my Persona could be stronger, right? That doesn't sound like something I would – should – be doing."

Igor's hunched shoulders rise and lower in a shrug. "It's entirely up to you, our guest, to decide how you develop the strength of your Persona. However, who are you to say that you will be manipulating that? Perhaps, you yourself will forge friendships that will be unbreakable on both sides." He has a point, and I grudgingly stay silent. "Please remember that."

I nod, still quiet, and Igor continues. "Now, then… time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer." There's some sort of pitying smile on his face, but unless I'm in a coma or close to death, I can't figure out why. "Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord."

I chuckle. "I have a feeling I will."

The room begins to go dark as Igor's last words float back to me. "Until then… farewell."

* * *

When I leave Igor, my dreams are full of falling off the Grand Canyon with Matt watching me from the sidelines, cheering me on. At one point in time I see my laptop screen flickering, with the email icon from Amanda chirping – _"Urgent! Urgent!" _– and Grandmother's voice saying, over and over:

"_That place has nothing but bad memories… and futures." _Her voice echoes until it's the only thing I hear. I want to squeeze my eyes shut and block out the words, but a voice that sounds exactly like my own whispers –

"You know it's true."

I'm standing in the middle of a dark void, panicking, clicking the gun to my head over and over again, so much that my finger hurts – nothing happens every time I do so; no pain and no answer, no one but myself lost in the darkness.

A red rubber ball rolls out of nowhere and stops at my feet, and I realize I'm crying.

* * *

I wake up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. There's a white ceiling above me and by the dryness of my throat, I begin to wonder how long I've been asleep. There's a shifting to my side and I turn to look, groaning when I realize I'm in a hospital bed, and lock gazes with Yukari.

"You're awake…!" She gasps, sounding relieved. "Um, how do you feel?"

I blink at her, motioning for the glass of water I can see just at the corners of my vision. I sit up and gulp it down once she hands it to me, taking in a deep breath when I feel like I have a working throat again.

"What is this place?" I croak, looking around. "Rather, why am I here?"

"This is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's just a short walk from the station." I grimace in the direction of the walls; I hate hospitals. "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted…" Yukari seems hesitant, and I want to ask about the scratches I had all over me from those Shadows, but there seem to be no scars or bandages as far as I can see.

Odd.

"Um…" Yukari definitely looks like she has something she's dying to say.

"Yeah?" I raise one eyebrow at her, feeling much more refreshed than I thought I would be. She shifts on her seat, biting her lip, playing with the sleeves of her jacket – you know, the usual thing people do when they're nervous.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything…" Oh, right. I search around for a calendar, curious as to how long I've been asleep, but there's none in sight. Drat.

Yukari continues on, her voice becoming more confident with each word. She sounds almost awed. "But, your power… it was amazing."

I blink at her, trying to remember – Shadow, Orpheus, a lot of running and bashing. "Er, what'd I do?"

"The power you used… we call it Persona." Not what I meant, but okay. "And those creatures you defeated are Shadows – our enemy." I frown; enemy? They barely attacked me in England, so their behavior here was a bit… odd. "We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before…" I assume she's talking about Mitsuru, and most likely the Akihiko fellow and the Chairman.

"I, uh…" I stare at Yukari, who's now focusing on wringing her hands. "I wanted to tell you that… I'm sorta like you."

This wasn't what I was expecting. "What do you mean?"

"My dad died in an accident when I was little…" Oh. I see. "And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms… You're all alone too, right?" Well, no… I have Grandmother, and Matt, and that's all I need… right? I mean, I miss my parents and brother, but… it's not like anything can be done about it.

I turn away slightly so she doesn't see my face tense at her next words. "To be honest, I already know about your past…" So Mitsuru did have access to my files – to all of them, it looks like. "But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine…" Thanks?

"It was back in '99…" I perk up at the year; a lot of things seem to have happened ten years ago in this place. "There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened… He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

Oh, I am so having Matt mail me everything he can find about this.

"So that's why you're here?" I ask Yukari, who looks a bit confused at my question. "To find out what happened?"

She nods. "Exactly. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you." She lets out a breath, blowing her bangs away from her forehead in distress. "Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them, too." She sighs again. "I'm sorry… You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward…"

I stare at her, my lips downturned. "It's not like I wasn't scared, too." I pause. "I was frightened to death, really."

She looks more surprised that I thought at this. "Really…? But still…" She trails off, staring at some sunflowers sitting in a vase beside me. "And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself. "I've been hiding so many things from her… As soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth."" She smiles at me, looking like she's had a mountain lifted off her shoulders. "So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time."

I scratch the back of my head uncomfortably and decide not to mention to her that I didn't have any choice _but _to listen, being stuck in this hospital bed. "Er, no problem."

Her smile gets even wider as she gets up, stretching out the kinks in her back. "Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. By the way, you can just call me Yukari. Us second year girls have to stick up for each other, after all." Wait, shit. Yukari, waaait!

"How long was I asleep!" I yell after her – or yell as much as my voice allows me.

She peeks back in, looking abashed. "Um, a week. B-bye."

I stare at the spot where she had just been.

"A week? Fuuuuuu-"

* * *

It's with a sullen face that I walk up to the school gates the next morning. Mitsuru had assured me that Ikutsuki talked to the school board about my condition and that I'll have plenty of time to make up for the work I missed, but that still doesn't do any good against the stares and whispers I'm getting. The official story is that I'm so clumsy, that I fell down three flights of stairs – disregarding the fact that the stairs are circular and have a landing, but apparently our Dorm is different and not to mention larger than any other – and had to spend an entire week in the Hospital to recover.

_[Would you like me to Bash them?] _Comes the hopeful voice of Orpheus inside my head, and I almost jump out of my skin at the sound of it.

"Er, what?" Several passing by students give me strange looks and walk on faster. I ignore them in favor of trying to figure out if Orpheus is just naïve, or blood-thirsty.

Said Persona makes a sound that sounds a lot like scoffing. _[Am I not supposed to protect you from creatures that wish to do you harm?]_

Figuring that maybe all those fantasy and sci-fi novels might be on to something with telekinesis, I try to reply back to Orpheus. Let's just call it a him.

_[I am neither a he nor a she,] _comes the voice before I can even finish the thought. _[I am what I am, and that is Orpheus of a Thousand Strings.]_

_That is... actually making sense. _The easy way Orpheus describes itself makes me almost jealous – people go through their entire lives, sometimes, trying to figure out where they belong. _But, the point is – you don't attack humans. Unless they're trying to kill me, or someone close to me. Just… let's focus on destroying any stray Shadow that wonders in our way, okay?_

There is a pause of silence before he replies. _[Shadows… are those creatures really as bad as you make them out to be?]_

I falter at the question. _I don't know, Orpheus. I – I don't know anything. Why they're here, what they're supposed to be doing, what we are supposed to be doing against them… _

_[I see,]_ comes the murmur, and then silence.

I relish in the moment of peace with no voices talking inside my head before someone bumps into me. "Ow, watch where you're-"

"Oh, hey, it's you!" Junpei helps me right myself, even going as far as to brush non-existent dust off my shoulders. "Long time no see. What's up? Did you have an upset stomach or something?"

Staying home from an upset stomach for an entire week…? "Or something," I reply. He chuckles, looking entirely too happy for this time of the day, considering how tired he usually is.

"Anyways, I got something to tell ya." I peer closer at him, trying to see if some intruder has taken over his body.

"…What is it?"

"Actually…" Junpei stops mid-step before continuing on. "Oh, wait! I'm not supposed to say anything!"

"Then why did you even bring it up?" I laugh, and he just shrugs.

"Sorry, man."

"Sheesh…" We both turn at the sound of Yukari's voice as she comes up behind us, eyeing Junpei in curiosity. "Someone's full of energy today… I could hear you from all the way over there."

Junpei's grin grows even wider. "Hey, it's Yuka-tan." He eyes us both in thought. "You two live in the same dorm, yet came separately today? Is it… because you'll cause too many rumors again, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask, sending a small smirk at Yukari. "Yukari just woke up a little late today." She sends me mock-hurt glare, before tugging on my arm so I fall into step beside her.

"Anyway, I need to talk to her. Bye-bye, Junpei."

He pouts at the obvious dismissal. "Whaaat…"

Once he's gone, Yukari releases her grip on my arm and looks me over. "Are you feeling better?" When I nod, she continues on. "…Isabella. Um, sorry to hit you with this first thing in the morning…"

I interrupt her before she can go on. "Just call me Izzy. Everyone back home does."

She smiles, nodding. "Alright, Izzy. Anyway, Ikutsuki-san wants to talk to you today. Come to the 4th floor of the dorm after school, okay? Don't forget."

I scrunch up my nose in distaste. "I have a feeling I know why… don't worry, I'll be there." She looks relieved, like I was going to refuse. Not really an option here, Yukari…

* * *

Classes are spent alternating between day dreaming, notes on the Stone Age, some grumbling on elephants from the teacher with the helmet – Mr. Ono – and more of helping Junpei.

I roll my eyes at his poking, prodding the page in the textbook before me with one finger. The student beside me snorts in amusement. "It's right there, Junpei. Mud huts."

"You're pretty smart," the guy beside me comments once Mr. Ono continues to ramble on about the samurai age, and I just raise one eyebrow.

"Thanks, I think…?" He just shakes his head, like he's amused, before going back to his own textbook.

"He's right," Junpei whispers to me once the class becomes semi-loud during a work period. "How'd you manage it?"

I turn around to face him, resting my elbows on his desk. "It's not that hard, Junpei." I continue staring at him when he just shrugs, avoiding my eyes. "You just… study. I wanted to get into this school, so I worked my butt off back home to get a scholarship into here." I eye him up and down, teasing. "How did _you _manage to get into here, anyway?"

He grins at me, looking proud of himself. "What can I say, I'm a jack of all trades."

"Right…"

* * *

Yukari is already gone either for the Dorm or for the archery club by the time homeroom rolls around at the end of the day, so I just gather up my stuff and head back to the Dorm early. There's no one here in the lounge when I enter, so I just sign myself in – noting that Yukari had signed in ten minutes prior – and head up to the fourth floor.

I hadn't really taken the time to look around here when Yukari and I were running for the roof, but there's nothing but a large room here. I enter it, spotting everybody already sitting in their places.

The Chairman notices me and motions for me to come sit on one of the couches. "Ah, there you are." He waits until I'm seated comfortably before continuing on. "I'm glad that you're okay. I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything had happened to you." Is it just me, or does he sound just the tiniest bit… irritated? Maybe my death would have brought in too much paperwork for him…

"The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you." I shift in my seat, wary. "This is Akihiko, by the way."

I nod at the silver-haired guy sitting across from me, who sends a small smirk my way. "We've met briefly," I say while all eyes are trained on us.

Introductions out of the way, the atmosphere in the room seems to alter. Ikutsuki clears his throat, pushing up his glasses with one finger. "Okay, let me start off by asking you this… Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

I can't stop the smile from escaping me as I do a mental dance around the room. "Yes."

Evidently, they weren't expecting this answer at all. Even Mitsuru looks shocked.

"Excuse me?" She says, leaning forward. "Could you elaborate on that?"

I lace my fingers together on my lap, glad to finally get this over with. I can see why Igor enjoys this position. "Well – sure. It's an hour that seems to occur at different times in each timezone, but still at the same time around the world. Midnight here, for example. The sky turns green, liquid turns to blood, and there are Monsters – I mean, Shadows – that linger around if you're not careful. Most people aren't aware of it because they get turned into their coffins during all of this." I raise a satisfied eyebrow at their stunned silence. "Did I pass the test?"

Ikutsuki is frowning, his jaw clenched as he thinks this over. "So you're telling us that you've experienced the Dark Hour before?"

I store the name away for future use – sounds better than Green Hour, anyway. "Yes, I have been for several years now."

"And have you fought the Shadows?" This question comes from Akihiko, who's looking at me with an eager expression on his face. I shake my head in answer.

"Compared to the Shadows I saw a week ago, the Shadows back in Manchester were much milder than the ones here."

"What about your Persona?" I glance down at Mitsuru's inquiry, grimacing.

"No. Last week was the first time I summoned Orpheus. I guess my life wasn't in enough danger overseas."

_[That is incorrect,] _Orpheus pipes up, but I ignore him.

"But – there were two Personas when you summoned, weren't there?" The surprise is evident in Yukari's voice, who seems to be troubled by all of this, and I raise and lower one shoulder in response.

"I don't know," I respond, my voice wry. "I was too busy screaming in pain to notice what was going on."

There is a collective wince around the room at this, but Akihiko breaks it as he leans back with a grin.

"Well, the more people to fight these Shadows, the better." He seems eager to fight, doesn't he? "Exciting, isn't it?"

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru reprimands, glaring at him. "You just got hurt the other day!"

"Now, now," the Chairman interrupts them both before Akihiko can reply, trying to pacify them. "He does his work well. Anyway." He turns his attention back to me, and the room falls quiet. "Long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad – SEES for short." Oh, so that's what the armbands are for. Guess it wasn't a suicide cult after all… The man continues on, ignorant to my internal musings. "On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows." He motions to Mitsuru with his hand. "Mitsuru is the leader. I'm the club advisor."

"Can I ask something?" I say before someone else can say anything, and although he looks surprised, the Chairman nods. "Why do you fight the Shadows?"

There's another silence around the room, before Mitsuru ends it. "What do you mean? A Shadow feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

I nod my head at her. "Exactly that. _Why _are the Shadows doing this? There were almost never any cases of people being attacked by Shadows in all the years I've lived in Manchester, and I haven't heard anything about this happening anywhere else in the world, so why are the Shadows here in Japan – in Iwatodai – so violent?" There's no answer. "Do any of you even know what Shadows _are?_ How they were created? What caused the Dark Hour?"

Ikutsuki stops me before I can say anything else, but I've pretty much voiced everything I wanted to. "That is exactly why we're here! To find out what has caused this phenomenon to occur around the world." I stay silent, but the question still burns in my mind—

_What if defeating them does more harm than good?_

If you think this over, what they're doing is pretty foolish – rushing on ahead without knowing any of the details yet.

"So you fight them with your… Persona." I test the word out on my tongue.

"Correct. That is the power you awakened to the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users." My mind begins to run at a speed of a thousand miles per second at Ikutsuki's words. "Which means, it's all up to you guys."

The room is quiet again, like they're waiting for me to say something. Thing is, they probably are. I wonder for a moment what would happen if I said no, however…

"I see."

Yukari lets out the breath she was holding near me and the mood lightens up; Ikutsuki is smiling, pleased at my answer. "I'm glad you're quick to understand." He motions to Mitsuru, who opens a case on the table I hadn't noticed before – a silver gun gleams uncannily from inside, and I realize it's the same one Yukari had.

"What he's trying to say is, we want you to join us." Yes, Mitsuru, I kind of understood that. "We've prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like you to lend us your strength."

Hmm, to reach for the shiny silver gun, or to not reach for it…

I grab the gun and test it out in my grasp. For something fake, it sure looks impressive. "Alright."

"I was afraid you'd say no," Yukari says from my side, before swinging one arm around me. "Welcome aboard!"

The Chairman looks like a Christmas tree, with the way he's grinning. "Thank you so much. I'm really glad. Oh, I almost forgot… about your room assignment… why don't you just stay here, in your current room?" …Last minute transfer decision _my ass_. What else were they doing, _spying _on me? "I don't know what the hold up is, but I guess it worked out in the end." He chuckles, looking entirely too happy.

Yukari pipes up, confused. "Holdup? But, wasn't that-" Ah, Yukari, how clueless you are. "Oh, never mind…"

"Welcome to SEES," Mitsuru reaches forward to shake my hand, and the world stops.

There's a familiar sound of shattering glass, although quieter, and a voice booming in my head, making me want to clutch at it in anguish.

_[THOU ART I…_

_AND I AM THOU…_

_THAT SHALT HAVE OUR BLESSING WHEN THOU CHOOSETH TO CREATE A PERSONA OF THE FOOL ARCANA]_

_Gee, thanks Orpheus! _I bite at him once the world returns to life again, but get distracted by the warm sensation that spreads through my body. Recalling what Igor had said about Social Links, I try not to groan – was this what he meant? While the feeling is nice – addicting, really – I wasn't going to allow myself to become a manipulative bitch just so Orpheus could bash things around with his harp some more.

_[That was not I,] _he says in response, sounding offended. _[You may want to direct your grievances elsewhere.]_

_You sound way too much like me… just with fancier language. _

He does the Orpheus-equivalent of a sniff. _[Us Personae are reflected images of yourself, are we not?]_

…_Good point. You say "us". "Us" as in all Personae in this room, or "us" as in you and that other one who showed up with you?_

Orpheus falls silent at the question. _[I am not of liberty to say as of now.]_

I am dissatisfied at the reply, but man, I love this telekinesis thing – the whole conversation took less than a few seconds. It's like, Orpheus or I begin to think about what we want to say, and it's already worded and heard. The human brain is pretty amazing, for only using twenty percent of itself.

I excuse myself from everybody else, still feeling tired from the hospital – even though I got a week's worth of sleep – and end up in my own bed fifteen minutes and a shower later. The email from Amanda and the fact that I haven't contacted Matt in a week lingers at the back of my mind, but I decide I might as well do it tomorrow. I'm just about ready to fall into sleep when there's something like a shift in the air beside me.

I look up, straight into blue eyes. "Hi, how are you?"

It takes all I have not to scream bloody murder at the boy in the striped pyjamas, and instead manage to garble out, _"How the hell did you manage to get in here!"_

The boy frowns, like I just asked him something stupid. "I'm always with you…" He chuckles at my expression, and I feel like I've heard it before. However, the moment is wiped out with his next words.

"Soon, the end will come." So you're psychic now, too? "I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

There's nothing to say but, "…Thanks?"

He laughs at my answer, and I've definitely heard it somewhere before. "I wasn't expecting you to thank me," he says, smiling. "But you're welcome. That… is what I'm supposed to say, right?"

I manage to nod. "…Right."

The boy scratches at his cheek, frowning. "…I don't really know what this "end" is about, either." He blinks all of a sudden, as if startled, before giving a tiny nod. "Looks like you've awakened to your new power… and an unusual power it is." He laughs again, sounding just the tiniest bit satisfied. "A power that takes many forms, yes is bound by none… It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."

I stay silent at his musings, and he goes on when it's apparent that I'm not going to answer him. "Do you remember when we first met?" I nod, pulling the sheets up to my chin. "I expect you to honor your commitment."

"You and Igor both," I mutter into the pillow, but he just looks on at me curiously.

"I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me…" I don't think I can forget you even if I tried…

"Okay then, see you later." He fades into the shadows like he did the first time we met and I stare at the spot of where he was for a few minutes before burrowing into my bed.

"Freakin' Houdini."

* * *

AU: I like to think that ingame, if you already had previous knoweledge of the Shadows and the Dark Hour, you'd question why SEES seems so eager to fight them with nobody offering any information except "They're monsters that are causing Apathy Syndrome". While that enough is a good answer, Izzy has lived in a world with them for 10 years where they rarely attacked people, so them trying to get her to kill them when they almost never did anything to her seems suspicious to her. She's a very logical girl as it'll be shown further on into the story - maybe sometimes too logical. Also, on Orpheus - a Persona is a mirror of your soul, right? I'll just leave it at that.


	4. All Your Base Are Belong to Us

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything.

I hated writing this part of the story. It's so… long. And boring. Feh. I'll also be flying back to Canada in a few hours, so it's a total of 9 hours to drive to the airport, 12 flying with a 2 hour break inbetween, and 3 hours to drive back home over the border… hell I am so not looking forward to it. So the next update will come when I finish chapter 6, since chapter 5 is a bit odd. ;) I hope you guys enjoy this one!

And… can you tell I don't really like Yukari yet?

I also realized that I should probably address the pairings... I adore FeMCxShinjiro so he'll be thrown into the story a lot more than in the game; I haven't decided if I want to do a romance pairing with Akihiko yet; it'll be Sister!IzzyxKen, and of course, RyojixIzzy will be there too. I don't like Chidori all that much so you won't be seeing much froim Junpei... maybe some slight YukarixJunpei hahaha? I doubt it. There will also be IzzyxOC, but just the tiniest bit.

Thanks so much to Madam Amethyst, XxXTwilight-SinXxX, and Sylanc for the reviews! Also to anyone who's lurking/favorited/alerted this :)

* * *

_December 16, 2004._

_Hi Izzy!_

_I know you're probably dying back home without me around, but I have awesome-tastic news! _

_My cousin Amanda is going to be moving to Manchester. I told you about her, right? Right? I'll never forgive myself if I didn't – she's awesome! Very pretty, too. Auntie says she has to chase the boys from her doorstep, so now I have to protect her here! That's so cool, right? Amanda says that boys are stupid, though. I'm kind of insulted. _

_Don't worry, I'll still have time for you. Stop pouting! Say hi to Ben for me! And stop feeding that cat of yours – it'll be a tank of a cat, soon enough!_

_Your bestest friend for ever and ever, Matt._

_

* * *

_

_Chapter Four_

So, it's official – Psycho Boy brings me nightmares.

I'm seven again. Minato is holding my hand in his, leaning on my shoulder and drooling on my clothes. I'm supposed to be asleep, my head on his – how's it supposed to be. The two of us, linked by invisible threads even when we're apart.

But I'm not. My eyes are wide open, staring out the window. I'm in a speeding car. There's a shadow of someone at the wheel, speaking into a phone as we approach a bridge. Another silhouette of a person turns to me from the front seat, sharp white teeth smiling against black skin. Monster teeth.

It opens its mouth.

_do you want to know who dies tonight?_

Minato tightens his grip on me in his sleep. I ignore the mangled voice that does a horrible job at imitating my mother, and watch as metal replaces the ground beneath us.

* * *

Yukari catches up to me at the school gates. "Mornin'. Um… Thanks about yesterday." I shrug, still shaken up by the nightmare I had. "Akihiko-senpai's injured too, and I was really uneasy about working alone with Mitsuru-senpai…"

What is it with this tension between Yukari and Mitsuru? You could cut it with a butter knife. "Is Senpai okay?" I wasn't even aware that Akihiko was hurt.

Yukari nods. "Yeah, Akihiko-senpai was attacked by a Shadow on the day that you collapsed, too. He said he injured his ribs a little…" I stay silent, not really in the mood to talk. Yukari seems to catch on to this and avoids me until the end of the school day – Junpei, however, on the other hand ends up at the other end of several of my glares more than enough times before he figures out that something's wrong.

Or that I'm PMSing. Whatever conclusions it is that teenage male minds reach.

The day flies by when I'm not paying attention, stuck in some sort of funk. The school bell rings after what feels like only a few hours, and I glance up as my brunette dormmate stops near my desk.

She stretches, leaning onto the chair behind her. "I thought I was gonna fall asleep in there…"

"Welcome to my life," I joke, gathering the school stuff I don't remember bringing out. We both look up as the classroom door slides open, and much to our surprise, Mitsuru enters, heading straight for us.

"Can I have a minute?"

"Sure," I say, while Yukari just nods, looking uncomfortable.

"Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone. I'll save the details for later. See you there." And she turns right back around and leaves as soon as she's done. We stare at the spot where she was for a few seconds.

"That was fast…" I comment. Yukari snorts.

"She's probably busy with things like – _Student Council_, unlike us." I switch my attention to her and her out of the blue angry tone of voice, and she flushes a bit under my gaze.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan!" I almost forgot about Junpei… why am I not surprised that he was eavesdropping on us? "Do I sense some hostility?"

Yukari casts her eyes down, frowning as she searches for a way to explain. "Well, it's not that I don't like her…" Sure, Yuka-tan, sure. "She's just…" She sighs, breaking off and turns to me. "N-never mind. Let's go, Izzy."

I shrug in apology to Junpei as we pass by him, and our walk is spent in silence as I let Yukari gather her thoughts. We're at the strip mall when she finally speaks up.

"A-About earlier… It's not that I don't like her or anything, y'know?" Having been lost in my own little world, I snap out of it at her voice.

"Sorry?"

"I'm talking about Mitsuru-senpai," Yukari smiles wryly, before leveling a glare at a passing by lamppost. "…Why does Junpei always have to talk about stuff that isn't any of his business, huh! Plus, he says it all in the creepiest, most perverted way. He's like the poster boy for sexual harassment."

I laugh at the mental image her description gives me, and she giggles along, cheered up. "You know, last year he…"

I continue to let her gossip about Junpei and some camping trip last year that involved not enough tents and a mishap with the cooking as we linger around the strip mall before heading back to the Dorm. There's no one in the lounge but a note sits at the coffee table that says "Come to the 4th floor lounge" so we head there after signing in and dumping our stuff in our rooms.

Mitsuru and Akihiko are already there, sitting around the sofas. "Welcome back," Mitsuru greets as we take our seats.

"We were waiting for you." The tone in Akihiko's voice is a bit annoyed and Yukari and I exchange looks, feeling a little guilty. "There's someone I wanna introduce."

Yukari stares at him in surprise. "Huh?" I echo her sentiment.

The silver haired senior just chuckles and turns his head to the door, raising his voice a bit. "Hey, hurry up!"

We almost jump when an answer comes from outside, sounding in pain. "H-hold your horses… This is freakin' heavy." The door opens and in wheels several bags worth of luggage. I stare at them for a few seconds before my eyes travel to their owner – and I almost burst out laughing.

Junpei chuckles, scratching at the back of his head as he looks at us. "Wazzup?"

"J-Junpei!" It's getting harder to hold in the laughter with how shocked Yukari's voice sounds. "…Why are YOU here!"

Akihiko either has a better control over his emotions than I do, or he's just oblivious to the atmosphere around him. I honestly don't know which one it is. "This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today."

Yukari stares at him like he's crazy. "He's staying HERE! You've gotta be kidding me!"

Akihiko shrugs, and Mitsuru and I watch the exchange between the two. "I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently…"

Wait. REWIND!

"I told him about us," Akihiko continues, ignoring my gaping mouth and Yukari's rapidly paling face. "And he agreed to help."

The brunette girl stands up to examine Junpei like he's some lower life form under a microscope. "You have the potential!" He doesn't hold up to her expectations, and she snorts. "For _real!_"

The guy shrugs. "He found my cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins." And you sound proud of it? "I don't remember much, but… man, that's embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal… in the beginning." He searches around for words, remembering. "Like, bein' confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?"

I pause, trying to recall if anything like that happened back when I first entered the Dark Hour. "…I was okay, though."

Junpei looks at me in pity. "Heeey, don't feel bad! It happens to all us Persona-users." My eyebrow twitches at this a bit, but I decide to let it pass. Junpei looks like he's not done talking, anyway. "…But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea."

I wonder what the rest of the school thinks of the SEES Club. The fact that our Dorm is co-ed should have started enough rumors years ago.

Junpei grins, looking happy. "I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know." Believe me Iori, I know all about it. "I bet you're stoked too, right! Havin' me join… It'd be nice to have a guy around too, wouldn't it?"

I sneak a glance at Akihiko, who looks a bit insulted. What is he, minced meat? I stifle a giggle.

"Huh?" Yukari agrees with me one hundred percent. "Uh, y-yeah…"

When it's evident that he's not getting a better response out of Yukari, he flashes his smile at me. "So anyway, glad to join the team, Isabella."

I smirk back at him, and pointedly eye the bags at his feet. "Don't slow us down, Iori."

He just laughs. "No worries. Nothing's gonna happen to you as long as I'm around!"

"Well, enough with the introductions. I think we're about ready…" We all turn in Akihiko's direction, who's looking at the door with expectation on his face. As if by cue, it swings open again behind Junpei and the Chairman walks in.

He takes a look around the room and nods. "Okay, everybody's here. I'd like you undivided attention." He clears his throat. "For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But that number recently jumped to five. Therefore… Starting tonight at 12:00 AM, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus."

I groan. "There goes my sleep…"

"Tartarus…? What's that?" Junpei says, grimacing. "…Sounds like toothpaste."

I giggle a bit at this, but Yukari just eyes him.

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?" Her voice is a bit mocking as she says this, and I gotta ask – what has the guy ever done to her?

Junpei must have shields of steel against Yukari and her biting comments. "Hm…?"

"It's no surprise… since it only appears during the Dark Hour."

"The Dark Hour…?"

"Just like the Shadows… interesting, huh?" Very, Akihiko, very. "And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest." Nooo, Akihiko, don't make us go in there!

Junpei doesn't seem to share my apprehension though, and grins. "Their nest, huh?"

"But, Senpai… What about your injury?" The guy recoils a bit at Yukari's question, looking like he had wanted to forget that little fact. Mitsuru speaks up for him.

"Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance."

She sends him a challenging look, and he just crosses his arms and looks away in the other direction. "…Yeah, I know."

Junpei winks at the room in general. "Relax, I've got your backs."

"I'm not so sure about this…" Me either Yukari. Junpei kind of looks like he's the type of a guy that could have some wind blown on him, and he'll fall over like a toy soldier.

"What about you, Mr. Chairman?" The older man looks abashed at Mitsuru's question.

"I'll stay here. As you know, I can't summon a Persona…"

I wonder what the requirements for summoning one are. Orpheus offers no answer as we gather some stuff – mostly weapons and some pieces of armor that apparently will help us defend ourselves – and head out in a half-excited (Akihiko and Junpei) half dreading (Yukari and I) frenzy.

We stop in front of Gekkoukan's gates. Eh, what?

"This is it?" Junpei sounds as disbelieving as I am. "THIS is the place? Why HERE?"

Akihiko just shakes his head. "Just wait a few minutes… It's almost midnight."

As soon as the minute changes, the area before us seems to shift – along with the sky turning green, the pearly white school begins to twist and turn until grows into a building that looks like a child's Lego set gone wrong. Blood drips down from pipes and the top of it seems like it touches the moon – Yukari, Junpei and I stare at it, gaping.

"This is Tartarus," Mitsuru says. "The labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour." We never had anything like this back home, and this is definitely not toothpaste.

"Labyrinth…?" I ask. "What do you mean?"

Junpei does a very good imitation of a fish trying to fly. "What happened to our SCHOOL!" And here I thought you'd be happy about it.

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal." He calms down at Mitsuru's words, and takes a second glance at the building.

"This is the "nest" you were talking about!" She nods. "But, why! …Why'd our school turn into a giant tower!"

Mitsuru stays quiet – why indeed?

Junpei frowns. "You don't know either?"

She shakes her head in answer. "…No."

Surprisingly, it's Yukari to the rescue. "I'm sure it's complicated."

Akihiko shrugs, beginning to head for the arches that serve as the entrance. "Well, maybe now we'll find out. Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; this will be our first time exploring it. Exciting, isn't it?" I wonder if that bandage on your head is proof of how wrong your mind is, Akihiko. Heading right into the enemy's base is a _good idea? _"There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour…"

"Akihiko," Mitsuru's voice cuts through as we follow behind him. "I _respect_ your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today."

Whipped is what this guy is. "I _know_… You don't have to remind me."

The inside of the place doesn't look anything like our school – there's a set of stairs surrounded by towering pillars, and they lead straight into a large, golden clock with Roman numerals that has the place where '6' should be broken. Junpei gives a whistle of appreciation as we take it at all. I watch my reflection in the shining black and white checkered floor, making faces and wondering how the dirt we tracked in disappeared the moment we stepped in.

"Whoa… it's just as cool on the inside…" Junpei's head is about to fall off, with all the staring he's doing.

"But, it sure is creepy…"

I personally agree with Yukari, who's looking around like something is going to jump out and eat her at any minute now.

Mitsuru heads towards the center of the room where the foot of the stairs is. "This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of here."

Akihiko takes his place next to her, leaning on what looks like… a motorcycle? What the hell? I assume it's one of theirs… "First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place. Why don't you go have a look around?"

"What!" Yukari and I cry out at the same time, shocked. "By ourselves!"

Mitsuru winces at the sound of our voices. "We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here."

"B-but Senpai, you don't even know where we're going!" They ignore me like the wonderful Senpai they are.

"We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions." I level Akihiko with a glare, who is, as always, oblivious to it.

"For real?" Junpei perks up. "…One of us? Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!"

Akihiko hesitates, switching his gaze between the three of us. I narrow my eyes at him – _don't. you. dare._

"Isabella, you're in charge." That's it, I'm coming after you, and your cat too!

Junpei looks between me and him, not understanding. "Wha…? B-But she's a girl!"

EXCUSE ME JUNPEI?

Yukari butts in before I can take out my gun and make target practice of the guy. "Well, she HAS fought them before…"

This seems to calm him down a bit, as his eyes widen. "Seriously?"

Akihiko nods. "That's true, but there's another reason. You two…" He takes out his Evoker and puts it to his head, smirking. All three of us flinch. "Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like she can?" Well, you know, pain usually counts as a difficulty… besides, I only used the Evoker that one time because Yukari and I were on the verge of losing our lives!

Nobody here ever gives me a chance to speak up. Geez, thanks guys.

"Y-Yeah, of course I can!" Junpei is trying to look confident, but is failing. Epically.

"I think so." At least Yukari is a bit more truthful.

Akihiko narrows his eyes at them. "These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed."

Yukari narrows her mouth. "I'm aware of that."

The senior turns to me, suddenly all smiles again. "Alright, are you ready to head inside, Isabella?"

I stare at him like he's an alien. "Uh, not quite…"

"It all feels so sudden, doesn't it?" Yukari comments as she comes up beside me. "But hey, I'll be right there behind you. C'mon, let's go."

With Junpei and Yukari on both my sides, it doesn't look like I have much of a choice. With a grimace, I head forward to the stairs, but get interrupted by a sudden urge to look at the left corner of the lobby – to my surprise, a strange door is sitting there, almost blending in.

"What's the matter?" Yukari asks, noticing my staring. I ignore her in favor of digging around in my pockets for the Velvet Key I got handed earlier, which is suddenly burning against my skin. The moment I touch it, I find myself sitting in the chair again.

Igor is in his usual place. "I've been waiting for you."

Well, fuck, this is not a dream this time around.

"The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are to venture into…"

"…Is a certain one-way ticket to suicide?" I say, but Igor continues on.

"How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist?"

"To lure innocent children and then eat them up, of course." Can you tell I want to get out of here yet?

Igor doesn't look all that happy at my comments this time around, and shrugs his shoulders. "Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

I sigh – here we go again. "The nature of my power? Stop speaking in riddles, old man."

He ignores my last words. "Your power is unique. It's like the number zero… It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities." I'm about to open my mouth and say something about Orpheus _not _looking like a zero, thank you very much, when his next words make me stop.

"You are able to possess multiple Personas and summon them as needed, you see."

"What?"

"And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp… But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly… Be sure to keep that in mind."

My head is beginning to hurt with all this information overload. Where are we, anyway, and why couldn't anyone else see the door?

"My spare time will soon be scarce." I'm really honored you're spending it all on silly ol' me, Igor. "But, please come again of your own accord." I have a feeling you'll pull me in here even if I don't want to. "I'll tell you then about my true role… the manner in which I can best assist you." He pauses. "Ah, but before I forget. Do you recall when I mentioned other residents of this room?"

I think back on our conversations, as blurry as they are. "Somewhat."

He leers closer at me. "Tell me… When you think of these people, what do you see?"

Definitely a guy; I can't image some woman having the guts to work for Igor. Or maybe a witch?

"Are they male?" Let's go with that. They have male witches anyway.

Igor jerks his head in a nod, like I made some sort of important choice. "I see… Then let's bring them out for a proper introduction." He waves one hand at an uncovered door and it opens all by its own – there's a pale flash of light and when I glance at it again, there's two figures standing there.

A tall man dressed in a blue butler suit with pale skin, pale hair and yellow eyes stands in front. Behind him, almost like hiding, stands a little girl – she looks just as pale as him, but has vibrant blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in a matching summer dress.

"My name is Theodore," the guy introduces, bowing with one hand in front of him. Oy vey, he's pretty handsome. "But please, feel free to call me Theo. It's a pleasure to meet you…" He glances down at the girl at his side, who just backs farther away. "…This is Alice. She will be accompanying my Master and I here for a little while."

The girl does a small half-curtsy before looking down at the floor again. I stare at the unlikely pair before me as they walk on either sides of Igor's couch. "Nice to meet you two, too…"

Igor's eyes are burning into me again. "My assistant will aid you as well. Until then…" The familiar feeling of free falling and the room going dark, and I close my eyes.

"Farewell."

I'm back in the entrance to Tartarus, with Yukari waving her hand in front of me. "Hey… are you alright?"

Junpei smirks beside her. "Yeah, what's up? You look like a zombie."

Okay, either they're both blind or they don't see the door due to some creepy elf-Igor magic and no time passed here at all. "Really? A zombie?"

"That's what you pick to dwell on!" Junpei sounds surprised, before calming down. "Ohh, I get it. You're trying to yank my chain here. Don't worry though! I got you covered whenever you need it, man!"

Yukari rolls her eyes and waves her bow around in the direction of Junpei a bit. I really hope she knows how to use that thing. "Yeah yeah, whatever. C'mon, let's go."

The inside of the place is nothing like the clean, shiny area the entrance is. It's like we've been transported to an entirely new dimension – the hallway somewhat reminds me of the school, but the panels and the arched ceilings are the traditional Dark Hour green. The same checkered floor from the entrance is here too, but now it's covered with blood splatters that drip down the walls and into the cracks below.

Junpei looks all too excited as we just stand there, taking it all in. I gulp. "So, this is it, huh…?"

Yukari edges closer towards us, clutching her bow as she glances around. "I hope I don't get lost…"

"_Can you all hear me?"_

We peek around the place at the sound of Mitsuru's voice, surprised.

"Whoa!" Junpei says, peering around a corner like the redhead may just be hiding there. "Is that you, Senpai?"

"_I'll be providing audio backup from here on out."_

The guy looks even more surprised. "Wait… Ya mean, you can see inside here?"

"_It's my Persona's ability. I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative."_

"Well, THAT makes me feel a lot better…" Yukari doesn't sound calmed by this at all… I decide to finally get my ass in gear and do the best with what we have. And by that, I mean our "weapons" – which, by the way, have "Warning: Not meant for actual combat" written on the side of them. Thank you so much for caring about our safety, Chairman.

"_Now," _Mitsuru continues, her voice coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. _"Based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution. Practice makes perfect."_

I tighten my grip on the toy sword in one hand, and reach for the bag I brought with the other. Junpei, swinging his by-far larger practice sword around, grins. "Right!"

"Got it," Yukari echoes, before lowering her voice. "Why is she always like that…?"

"_Try to eliminate all the Shadows on this floor… and try to remember that these are real battles you're engaging in." _Mitsuru's voice breaks off with a quiet buzz of static in the air.

There's the same scent as there is outside that only appears during the Dark Hour, making me think of swamps and hospitals. We head forward along the illuminated halls – Junpei mutters something about it looking like Gekkoukan a bit – and stumble onto a silver suitcase.

Yukari and I head forward to examine it, trying to pop it open. "What is this…?" I ask when it clicks, and out rolls out a candy. I pick it up, holding it between my forefinger and thumb as I squint at it.

Yukari's gasp makes me look down and my eyes widen at the sudden lack of suitcase on the floor. "This is getting weirder and weirder…" I say, deciding to throw the candy thing into a pocket of my bag anyway.

_[That is a Snuff Soul,] _come Orpheus' voice from inside my head. _[You will find it most useful to restore your energy.]_

"Orpheus says it'll make us feel better when we're tired," I repeat his words to the group, and Junpei casts a doubtful eye at the spot where I put the item away.

"Are you sure we should be eating something that comes from this place? It could be, like, drugs or something."

Yukari shakes her head, looking uncertain. "Well… we should trust what our Persona say, right?"

_[I would not put any of you in danger.] _

_I know Orpheus, _I reply back as we turn a corner and begin walking again. "Let's just bring these to Mitsuru-senpai outside afterwards and see if she knows something about it."

There's a few moments of quiet before the sound of static begins to hum in the air, along with our senpai's voice. _"Watch out! I detect a Shadow in front of you! Move in and hit it before it attacks!"_

We leer closer at the darkness before us (the light follows us and the spot we're in like a creepy watchdog) and catch the barest hint of movement. We creep towards it before it can notice us, and when we're almost upon it, I swing my short sword at its back, praying to God that it doesn't just bounce off.

It doesn't, and with the Shadow's enraged cry, it rushes towards us. Mitsuru's voice buzzes in my ear as she instructs us to be careful and Junpei jumps out of the way of the Shadow's claws. He swings his sword at it, but it barely makes a cut in its skin before he has to dodge again.

"Damn it!" He curses, waving the thing around before him in a pitiful attempt to defend himself. "This thing is useless!"

In a split second decision, I throw my own sword away and reach in my bag for my pistol. I switch off the safety, aim it at the Shadow weaving before my teammate, and shout, "HEY, UGLY!"

It turns in the direction of my voice (Junpei does too, but ahem) and barely has time to move before I shoot it several times in the middle of its mask, remembering what Orpheus did before. It cracks from where I made contact, but lets out a low groan and continues moving.

"Shit," I say as Yukari shoots at it, her dulled arrows barely making any impact on its body. I reach down for my Evoker strapped to a belt around my waist and point it at my temple.

"Orpheus! Do something!"

A whisper of his voice in my head – _[Agi.] – _before there's tinkling glass and I am surrounded in blue flames. They don't hurt as I watch Orpheus appear, running his fingers over the lyre on its back – several small fireballs appear on the strings and shoot out at the Shadow, who bleeds out onto the floor with a pitiful moan.

We all stare at the puddle as my Persona disappears, before an idea hits Junpei. "Guys, let's do an All-Out Attack!"

Yukari and I stare at him. "What?"

He rolls his shoulders back, tightening his grip on his sword. "Just charge in, and follow my lead!" The brunette and I exchange looks as he runs for the Shadow, and follow.

There's several minutes of us pounding it with guns, bows, swords, fists and feet before we jump back, covered in Shadow remains. I grimace, but watch as the Shadow disappears from existence. "…Ewwwww."

"_Good job," _Mitsuru congratulates us. _"That was a Cowardly Maya, the lowest of their ranks – it is weak to fire. Iori-san, Payne-san, I believe your Personae have an affinity for it."_

"Roger," Junpei smirks, shaking off something that looks like one of its arms from his leg. We continue on in silence, on alert for more Shadows, before Junpei turns to me in curiosity.

"Say, when did you get a gun?" Yukari flinches at the reminder, groaning.

"Don't remind me," she mutters to the ground, but I just shrug.

"It's for self defense, Junpei." He still doesn't look satisfied.

"But how does it do any damage on the Shadows?" He glares at his sword in disgust.

I grin, running one finger over the pistol. "A good friend of mine back home modified it to especially work during the Dark Hour." I notice Yukari listening in as well, and if my guess is right, so is Mitsuru. "I don't know how he did it, but he's a genius when it comes to this stuff, so don't worry about it."

"_Does your friend know anything else about the Dark Hour?" _Mitsuru's voice questions.

"I don't know," I reply, idly swinging my weapon around me. "We didn't go out and hunt the Shadows back home, so most of what we know is pure guesswork." She makes a humming sound, but doesn't ask anything else.

We walk around for another ten or so minutes with no encounter of Shadows, growing more relaxed. Junpei even begins whistling a jingle to himself, ignorant to Yukari's glare and complaint at how off-tune he is.

"_There should be a staircase nearby," _Mitsuru says out of nowhere, and we jump at her voice. _"Do you see it?"_

We walk another few feet, and there is, indeed, a checkered staircase in one of the rooms in front of us. Mitsuru continues on when we confirm it. _"A staircase is the only way to proceed to the next floor. I can't allow you to go any higher today, but please remember about it next time." _I wonder when this next time will be and how much my sleep will be suffering. We walk on past the staircase, trying to look up at where it ends, but there's only darkness.

We turn the corner and Mitsuru warns us of another Shadow lingering ahead of us; the blob is bigger as we try to sneak up on it, but it notices us and jumps. It splits into two midair and two Cowardly Mayas land before us, hissing.

"What the?" Yukari cries as one begins crawling towards her. "I can't attack it from up close – someone get it away from me!" She stumbles backwards as Junpei and I exchange wild glances.

"_This enemy is weak to fire," _Mitsuru reminds us, still sounding calm and collected. I snap my fingers and pull out my Evoker, while Junpei does the same, looking hesitant. I send him a grin, pointing the gun at myself.

"Don't worry about it," I encourage, and we both pull the trigger at the same time.

"Oprheus!"

"Hermes!"

The name of Junpei's Persona is definitely familiar and I make a reminder to look it up back at the Dorm – its appearance is that of a grey humanoid creature, with golden mechanical wings attached at its wrists and a golden helmet with a beak. It curls backwards, looking almost like another set of wings.

Orpheus plays his harp again as the Maya going for Yukari burns into nothingness, and Hermes does something that looks like a baseball slide and skids through the second Maya feet-first. He disappears before he can hit the wall on the other side and the Maya, angry, charges towards Junpei – it's stopped by an arrow from Yukari, and fades into air particles.

"Not bad," Yukari says with a nod in Junpei's direction. We find another suitcase – this time with a vial that looks a lot like some sort of medicine – and continue on. There's another Shadow around one of the corners, according to Mitsuru, and we sneak up on it when its back is turned.

It splits into three Mayas this time around and we're better prepared now as they charge at us. Hermes and Orpheus do their thing while Yukari, quickly explaining that her Persona only has healing abilities at the moment, fires arrow after arrow as we run around the hallway. She runs to my side at one point in time when a Maya connects its attack with my side, and places her hand at the wound beginning to bleed out.

"Dia," she mutters as I bite at my lower lip to keep from whimpering in pain, and her hand glows a pale green before there's some sort of _pull _at my skin there and when she moves away, there's no longer anything there. A faint image of a beautiful woman chained to a bull's head appears above her before fading out again.

"That's so awesome," I say to her, and she just smiles before returning back to the battle.

It's finished off with Hermes' baseball slide and we sigh, relieved. I close my eyes and lean against one of the walls – oh, come on, my clothes are already covered in Shadow guts and blood, what's some more gonna do? – and when I open them, everything is pink.

There are three cards in front of me, looking like the ones I noticed Igor had in a deck at his table. _Chooseth your fate, _a nondescript voice whispers in my ear as I examine them – one has a green clover-looking plant/wand on it, one has a blue cup, and the last one has a fairy-like creature on it.

Well, this is a no-brainer! As soon as I think this the cards begin to rotate before me and I focus on the one that has the fairy on it, willing the cards to stop when it reaches me.

It does so and flips, revealing that I was right. A warm rush of power flow through me as everything fades, the same voice says, _You have welcomed Pixie into your heart. _

I try searching for her in my mind while Tartarus returns itself before my eyes. _Helloooooooo?_

A high pitched giggle sounds back in answer. _[You don't have to be so loud,] _it pouts. _[I can hear you!]_

_Sorry, _I answer, embarrassed. _Are you Pixie?_

She giggles again. _[No, I'm Jack Frost!] _She pauses. _[But cuter. And better. He can't heal you, can he?]_

I start up at her words. _You can do the thing Yukari can? _

It's almost like the voice is looking down on me. _[Do you mean Dia?] _When I nod (in my head, somehow), she continues. _[Of course! I told you I was better than that toy!] _I smile a bit at her answer, excited.

_Sweet, thanks. So… I just do the same thing I do with Orpheus when I want to summon you?_

_[Correct,] _Orpheus answers, sounding as bored as ever. _[But please beware that if you continue summoning us, you will tire out faster than before. That is why I suggest taking up lessons to better yourself first.]_

Our pitiful fighting – maybe not Yukari, and all I do is point and shoot, so mostly Junpei's wild swinging around, which is getting a bit better – pops in my mind and I sigh. _You're right._

I love all these Persona conversations; it's almost like no time passes in the real world at all. Yukari and Junpei are examining themselves when I tune back in, looking impressed.

"Did you feel that?" Yukari asks when she notices me staring, and grins. "Io says that means we got stronger now." I assume that Io is her Persona she used earlier, and glance down at my hands. I guess I didn't even notice while speaking with Pixie and Orpheus.

"Man, this is so cool!" Junpei yells, doing a little dance around the hall. We laugh in agreement, a bit more confident about this whole fighting thing than we were before, and continue on.

A series of Agis and an All-Out Attack later, I plop down on the ground with a groan.

"_You've used your Persona's skills too much," _Mitsuru comments. _"If you've found any Snuff Souls around, it's in your best interest to eat them if you wish to continue on."_

I crane my head up at the ceiling. "Snuff Souls?"

"_They look like candy," _Mitsuru clarifies, and I dig around in my bag for the item we picked up earlier. I hold it up, examining it. _"That's exactly it." _I unwrap it and plop the yellow ball in my mouth, surprised when it comes out soft. Guess Orpheus was right.

"How does it taste?" Yukari asks, watching me like I might grow a second pair of legs. I swallow it and grin at her.

"Like lemon marmalade."

"Man, stop making me hungry," Junpei complains, holding his stomach.

"Didn't you eat before you left your dorm?" Yukari asks, eyeing him in wonder. He scratches his head, embarrassed.

"Eh, no. I was kind of in a hurry."

My stomach chooses this time to voice its hunger as well, and Yukari groans. "Not you too…?"

I shrug, unabashed. "All of this has made me hungry… what do you guys say we get something to eat once we're out of here?"

The brunette groans again. "Fine, whatever."

Junpei and I high-five at our victory. "Score!" He cries, helping me off of the floor. I wipe at my skirt, making a face when my hand become even more bloody.

"Say, do you think this is real blood…?" Neither of my companions answer me, looking sick, so I just shrug and wipe it off on the walls as we pass, feeling a bit ill myself.

Yukari gets knocked down in the next battle we face and I try to call Pixie to the front of my mind as Junpei's leg continues bleeding out onto the floor. "Pixie!" I call out, feeling a chilly shift in my head as she appears with a giggle and points one finger at my teammate.

"_There you go," _she says with a wink in his direction before disappearing. "Shuffle Time", as I've decided to call it, appears in front of me after the battle and "Asparas" – a woman Persona with ice abilities – has made herself welcome in my head before reality fades back in. There's absolute silence as my two companions stare at me.

"Er…what?"

Junpei squints his eyes at me like I might disappear any second now. "Wasn't your Persona called… Orpheus, or something?" Yukari doesn't say anything, looking a bit surprised but not as much as him. She was, after all, at the rooftop the day the other creature made a meal out of Orpheus.

I nod. "Yeah, so?"

"_You are able to summon multiple Personas?" _Mitsuru's voice comes through, sounding sharp. _"Why?"_

"I don't know." I shrug. "It's because I'm a number zero, or something."

The only guy on our team (except Akihiko, but he currently doesn't count) frowns. "Eh?"

"'Empty, but full of possibilities.'" I quote Igor as best as I can. "Or something like that." There's silence from Mitsuru and no one else says anything, so I just turn in the direction we were walking in before with some degree of uncertainty. "Let's go?"

"Whatever you say, leader," Junpei says, sounding a bit annoyed. What has gotten into _him? _

Yukari rolls her eyes as she catches up to me. "Just ignore him," she advises under breath. "It's the best thing to do in situations like this." I give her a tiny nod to show that I heard her, but decide to not follow her advice. I mean… I kind of feel sorry for the poor guy and all. I've noticed it before in school – it's like people don't want to approach him, just because Yukari is such a bitch to him all the time.

We walk on in silence before Mitsuru contacts us again.

"…_That's odd," _she says, sounding a bit confused. _"Usually, there are more Shadows on the prowl._" Don't jinx it, Senpai! My stomach and I are begging you!

There's the sound of her sigh over the connection. _"…Well, at least you gained some experience in battle. Let's go back to the Dorm for today." _I think back on the toy sword I left lying around somewhere at the entrance of Tartarus – experience indeed. Never trust Ikutsuki with providing us with weapons again.

"_There should be an access point somewhere on that floor. You can use it to return to the entrance. Since there aren't any enemies to worry about, why don't you split up and search individually? Just… be careful. Don't go away too far from each other." _We wonder off on our own before Yukari's yell attracts our attention.

"Hey! I found the access point!" We head off to where it's coming from and stop in front of a green pad, glowing slightly in the darkness.

Junpei pokes it with one foot. "Hey, how does this – whoa!" He gets cut off as suddenly, there's a bright flash of light and Junpei is gone.

"_Don't worry," _Mitsuru says before we can start panicking. _"He's already at the entrance with Akihiko and I._" Yukari and I step onto the teleporter when she finishes and there's the sensation of being tugged in a direction – like some sort of vacuum – before we find ourselves at the entrance.

"Welcome back," Mitsuru smiles at us once we've got our bearings straight. "So, how was it?"

I let out a great sigh. "To be honest? I'm ready to eat an entire horse… and then drop dead into my bed."

Yukari and Junpei nod in agreement with me, while Akihiko just chuckles in the background. Mitsuru's smile widens. "It must have hit you all at once. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." I sure hope so, or I'll be failing my junior year at school.

Junpei swings his sword at the air a few times, grinning from ear to ear. "Wow, I never knew I had that kind of power! But damn…" His arm drops and he leans on his sword a bit, hunched over. "I'm beat!"

Yukari scoffs beside me. "That's 'cause you were bouncing around like a little kid."

"You look pretty tired yourself, Yuka-tan." He replies.

"I'm still trying to catch my breath myself, actually…"

"That's the effect of the Dark Hour: you'll become fatigued more easily." Now that Mitsuru mentions it, how long were we in there to feel this tired? "Don't worry, though, you'll adapt. But I'm surprised… You all did much better than I expected." She turns to Akihiko, smirking. "At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko."

The senior smiles like he doesn't quite believe it. "Heh, we'll see about that."

As soon as he finishes speaking, there's a familiar surge of energy in my chest – time stops, glass shatters, and the words "FOOL" and "2" float before my eyes. I groan… this is so not right.

"Say, Isabella…" I glance at Junpei, who's looking a bit guilty. "I think we're too tired to go and get that food we wanted…"

"You're right…" I try to imagine what we have in the fridge back at the Dorm. "I'll just grab something when we get back… and it's Izzy."

His expression turns confused. "What?"

"Just call me Izzy." His face lights up like he's just been told school has been cancelled.

"Alriiight, Izzy!"

The party begins to gather their stuff around the room, but I find myself drawn in the direction of the door to the Velvet Room – the key burns in my pocket as if in answer, and I'm sitting in front of Igor and his two assistants again.

"Ah, there you are."

"Yo," I greet Igor, raising one arm half-heartedly. The man chuckles.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. Well… I suppose it's time for me to explain what I really do here." I'm feeling too tired to do anything but listen as he goes on, explaining. "It's my job to create new Personas. But in order to do so, I muse fuse your Persona cards together…" I shift in my seat, uncomfortable.

"Excuse me?"

He clarifies it for me. "In other words, I shall merge them into a single Persona."

I think of Orpheus, Pixie and Asparas residing in my head. Heart. Er. "But what will happen to the Persona you fuse?"

He shrugs. "They will disappear from within your grasp until such a time when you are able to call them again." That sounds a bit better, and I nod for him to continue. He leans closer to me, examining. "The number of Personas you have buried within you is approximately… one hundred seventy, but… it's strange…" He trails off, frowning, before shaking his head, muttering something I can't hear.

"We've never seen a visitor with this many possibilities before…" He continues, grinning. "If you establish Social Links, you may be able to create even stronger Personas, too." I turn my eyes away from his at this. He laughs quietly to himself. "This should prove veeery interesting." I wait until he calms down, watching his assistants instead. Theodore is merely looking in my direction, quiet, while the girl stands still with her eyes focused straight ahead of her.

"So," Igor clears his throat to get my attention again. "As you accumulate cards, please bring them to me. If you wish to learn about fusing Personas in more detail… then feel free to talk to me or Theodore so that we may give you some hints."

"…Thank you," I reply, trying not to fall asleep on the hard chair right here and now. "Am I free to leave now? I'm dead tired…"

Igor nods. "Of course."

Theodore does his half bow thing. "We look forward to your next visit."

* * *

The walk back to the Dorm is silent, and we all disperse to our rooms after saying good night. I notice that my laptop is still sitting on my desk like I left it a week before, and decide that since I've been awake this long, a few more minutes won't matter.

I change and get ready while it's booting up. There's several new emails in my inbox – some junk, but most from Matt – and I click on the very first one, dated on the second day of my short coma.

_From: (Matthew Barker)  
_

_To: (Isabella Payne)  
_

_CC: none_

_Subject: Where are u?_

_Hey Izzy, u haven't answered any of my phone calls. I know ur sleeping, but get up once in a while to talk to me. Later._

I dig out my phone and sure enough, the batteries are dead – I groan, dreading what I'll find once I turn it on, and plug it into a wall socket. I return back to my seat and click on the next mail from my best friend, dated the next day.

_Subject: WHERE R YOUUU_

_Izzy, I'm serious. I'm getting worried here, are you okay? Is the homework over there in Japan that bad? Email me or call me back as soon as you can – please. Matt._

Next one, the day before I woke up.

_Subject: ANSWER IMMEDIATELY_

_Isabella, I'm not even kidding this time around. Are you okay? Where are you? Why aren't you answering any of my phone calls? Amanda and I go straight to voicemail. Did you lose your phone somewhere? That doesn't account for not answering my emails, or Amanda's, for that matter. She won't say what hers is about, but she says it's important. _

_Did something happen? Email me back as soon as you can, or I'm catching the next flight to Japan if you don't reply within the next few days._

_Matt._

I stare at the screen with a sinking heart, hoping that he wasn't serious about the flying here claim. I click the "Reply" button and type out a short message.

_Subject: RE:__ANSWER IMMEDIATELY_

_Hey. Sorry I haven't been in contact, my phone died and I haven't checked my email up until now. Something happened – well, a lot happened – and all of it has to do with the Green Hour. I'll call you as soon as I get back from school tomorrow. _

_I'm sorry for worrying you. I really, really am. I hope you didn't mean anything by that flying here comment, and didn't tell Grandmother. Apologize to Amanda on my behalf too, even though I'm checking her email next._

_Love you guys and miss you._

_PS: Do me a favor and look up the names Orpheus, Hermes, and Tartarus for me, would you?_

I send it off and scroll down past spam mail to Amanda's. I glance at the subject line as I open it, and there's a brief sense of déjà vu, which I shrug off.

_From: (Amanda Barker)  
_

_To: (Isabella Payne)  
_

_CC: None_

_Subject: URGENT!_

_Hi Isabella. How is Japan? I hope you're enjoying it._

_I know you and Matt don't believe me about the voice talking to me, but he's real – I know yours are real too, because he told me many things. He wants to say something to you._

I stop reading at this point, rubbing at my eyes to make sure I'm not hallucinating. It sounds like something Amanda would say, and when the words don't disappear from my screen, I read on.

_Greetings, human child. _

_I am Orobas, the One who knows the truth __of the past, the present, and the future._

_Alas, it seems as though my voice has not reached you in time – by now, it is no doubt that you have awakened to your own mind. I sense a great catastrophe in your future, and I'm sorry to inform you that it is an unavoidable fate. _

_Time does not wait, human child. You cannot escape it by plugging your ears or covering your eyes. It delivers all equally to the same end. _

_I only wish to answer the question that has been haunting your mind ever since your arrival to your homeland._

_It was a mistake to return to the place of your family's death._

_I'm sorry, but the clock of Fate__ has begun. _

I stare at the screen. My hand moves over the touch pad – "Delete message?" – and I select 'yes'. I head over into my bed, put my head on the pillow, and snuggle deep under the cover. Needless to say, I do not dream tonight.


	5. Summer of England, 2008

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything.

So this chapter doesn't even play anything in from the game, it's like…a gag chapter. For my own enjoyment, but it does explain the relationship between Izzy and her friends from England a bit. I think. Don't worry, story-compliant chapter six will be up soon. xD

Also, these characters will be making appearances in future chapters, so I hope you enjoy them.

Thanks to the anonymous reviewer for reviewing/everyone lurking/favoring/alerting! :)

* * *

_Chapter Five_

_June 11__, 2008_

_MATT!_

_I'm sorry, I know you're enjoying your vacation down in Greece, but Amanda and I DEMAND THAT YOU COME SAVE US!_

_You know what this is about, right? I mean, come on, I know you never show up at school anymore, but you're not stupid. Let me give you a hint: it involves Ben, roses, Amanda breaking into my house at 3 AM in the middle of the night – Grandmother was not happy when she found footprints on her carpets – and Ben serenading under my window._

_You understand what this is about now, right?_

_CONVINCE YOUR COUSIN TO MARRY YOUR BEST FRIEND ALREADY OR I'M GOING TO GO EVEN CRAZIER._

_Mr. Truffle says hi. I think he misses you, even though you never feed him. _

_That means I miss you too, you idiot. I can't believe you've been gone all summer. Don't you dare decide that you like it better there and not return at all, you hear me? Or I'll go down there and kick your ass all the way to Mexico. That's a promise. _

_The best friend who has grudgingly realized that she'll go to the end of the world for you,_

_Izzy. (Don't you dare call me Minako in your next letter, you bastard. I don't love you that much.)_

_

* * *

_

_June 18, 2008_

_You loooove me. You misssss meeee. You want to maaarrryyy meeee. _

_Your most beloved friend, Matt._

_P.S: Why are you sending me mail? You know it takes like, a week for it to arrive, right? Just email me. Geez. _

_

* * *

_

_June 25, 2008_

_Dear Matthew Oliver Barker,_

_Enclosed in this letter you will find the (daisy) engagement ring I have kept close by my side for five years ever since your most wonderful proposal to yours truly. I regret to inform you that a better prospect for marriage has popped up – I believe you are familiar with him? His name is "Up Yours", and I assure you, we are very happy together._

_What we had was nice, but it wasn't meant to be. _

_With my dearest wishes, Isabella Payne._

_P.S: Can an email do THIS? Ha! _

_P.S.S: Check your Inbox._

_P.S.S.S: …I expect the daisy ring back safe and sound either by mail or by the start of the school year. I'm serious, and I'll know if it's a fake._

_

* * *

_

_June 2, 2008_

_Awww Minako! Imagine my surprise when you broke off our engagement! What will your Grandmother say? Tsk, tsk. She was so hopeful about us too… Amanda has been planning the wedding since we were thirteen. Do you really want to break her dreams like that?_

_Up Yours and I are very familiar, yes. In fact, he and I had a fling shortly before your engagement. Are you aware of that? _

_I loooove youu and I miiiisss you (you will never hear me actually say these words), Matt._

_P.S: I'll make you as many daisy rings as you want._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: It has come to my attention_

_It has come to my attention that we have not had a chance to address a very important problem that has befallen us. I, in turn, have decided to take it upon myself to remedy this._

_BEN, STOP STALKING AMANDA! Grandmother is ready to go batshit at all the dirt she's tracking into the house in the middle of the night. She also doesn't appreciate all the singing you do at dawn underneath my window – she says you have a horrible voice for it and should find something else to do. Even Mr. Truffle refuses to sleep in my room anymore. _

_And… when are you going to change your email already? It's kind of embarrassing to even type it out. _

_If you're wondering why I sent this to all of you, it's because this is a VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE that is messing with all our sleep. Exams are coming soon. _

_Thank you for your time._

_-Izzy_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_Subject: Dammit_

_Don't call me Minako, you bastard. Say hi to Amanda and your family for me._

_P.S: I'm holding you onto that promise. Can you make me a crown, too? _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: Wedding_

_I saw your email to Matty. When is it?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_Subject: RE:Wedding_

_IT. IS. NEVER. GOING. TO. HAPPEN._

…_maybe ask me again in a few years.  
_

_(DON'T YOU DARE LET MATT READ THIS.)_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_Wow, Izzy, melodramatic much? Stop being such a drama queen. And I like my email, so bugger off._

_P.S: Tell your Grandmother I'm sorry and she makes wonderful scones and tea._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_BEN, I CAN'T SLEEP. Neither can Amanda, camped out in my room every night, and neither can you. Do I have to remind you that we ALL have Exams soon? Jesus. My Grandmother says she's ready to put a law suit on you for disturbing the neighborhood._

_She says thank you for the compliment though. I expect you over this Saturday for said tea and scones. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_I'm going to throw your own cat at you. Why can't you understand that Amanda and I are in LOVE? _

_Saturday sounds fine. 3 PM?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_Stop spamming my inbox, you're worse than the actual junk. You're ruining my mood here by the seaside. _

_And Izzy knows all there is to know about 'love'. ;) Right?_

_P.S: We're all having some of Grandmother's tea and scones once school starts. Stop reminding me about Exams – that means I actually have to show up for them._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE: It has come to my attention_

_Um. Don't I get any say in this?_

_Ben, you and I are NOT in love._

_And Matty, I can't believe you just… no. Just no. _

_You're supposed to wait until the wedding night anyway. What will Auntie say?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_MATT YOU ARE SO DEAD. EW!_

_Amanda there is no wedding night… at all… especially not to him. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_I'M SORRY DON'T KILL ME I LOVE YOU._

_Did you know they have the Green Hour in Greece? The water looks so cool here._

_Psst, Amanda, just wait: there will so be a wedding night. I'll even tape it for you, Ben._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_Go die in a ditch you pervert. Amanda is the only one I want to see in bed. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: Love_

_There wasn't really any, you know? 'Cause you'd tell me, right? We're best friends. We're supposed to tell each other things like this. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_Subject: RE: Love_

_Amanda, go and accept to marry Ben already. You are no longer allowed in my house._

…_J/K! But honestly, yes, we'd tell each other things like that. _

_P.S: I think I'm being serious about you agreeing to marrying Ben. At least go on a date with him? He's been sulking around here ever since you left. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID THAT ABOUT MY COUSIN YOU ASSHOLE. EXPECT TO DIE! _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_I don't even have a comment for that._

_About the Green Hour… run into any Monsters? How was it?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: Love_

_But I'm the only one who gets along with your grandmother! I find her a bit charming, actually._

_Um. Were you serious about the going on a date with Ben thing? …Do you think he's actually even serious about it? He acts like he just wants to… you know. And I definitely don't want that._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: Amanda_

_I suggest you let her know you don't just actually want to sex her up if you even want a grain of a chance with her._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:Amanda_

…_Does she seriously think that? …Shit._

_And nice language. Learn it from Matty?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:Amanda_

"…_Do you think he's actually even serious about it? He acts like he just wants to… you know. And I definitely don't want that."_

_Straight from Amanda herself. Good luck, cowboy. _

_And no, so leave Matt out of this. It's something called "the Internet"._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_No Monsters here, almost. They all seem too scared to come out. Maybe it's all the blood hahahahaha. Think they'd be scared of something like that? _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: Ring_

_Do you want one? They have some really nice ones here. You know, to replace that silly flower one I made you when we were eleven. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:Amanda_

"_No glove, no love."_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_Subject: RE:Ring_

_Don't insult the daisy ring. _

_And that better not be an actual proposal, Matt, or you're a horrible romantic. _

_Not that I'm saying I want you to be romantic. About anything. Errr... _

_Bring me some Monster guts as a souvenir instead?_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: Rejected_

_I so just got rejected. Izzy'd rather have Monster guts than an engagement ring._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_Subject: RE:Rejected_

_Don't you even DARE bring me into your relationship drama. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:Rejected_

_Bastard. Some best friend you are._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_Subject: RE:Rejected_

_Yeah, a smart one._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_Subject: Vacation_

_I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea about me. Really, I am. I really do want to get to know you better. _

…_Would you want out to go somewhere when you get back before school starts? But, only if you want to, you know… I'll stop asking if that's what you want. Promise. :)_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:Vacation_

…_Okay. But only if we go to that café by my place with the pretty windows and you let me pay half. I don't need someone taking care of me all the time. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_Izzy, I hope you and Mr. Truffle enjoy the quiet you'll have now for studying. Amanda and I, meanwhile, will be having lunch at that café place she likes. _

_So ha. At all of you._

_To Amanda: I can't wait._

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Matthew Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_WOW. I can't even believe it._

…_Maybe that means I'll now have a chance… yeah right…_

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Amanda Barker)_

_To: __ (Benjamin Fletter); __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Isabella Payne)_

_Subject: RE: It has come to my attention_

_Huh? Ben, you… nevermind. I'll see you soon. _

_

* * *

_

_From: __ (Isabella Payne)_

_To: __ (Matthew Barker); __ (Amanda Barker); __ (Benjamin Fletter)_

_Subject: RE:It has come to my attention_

_Mr. Truffle and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. _

_I'll see you all for tea and scones on August 29__th__._

_

* * *

_

_Dear Minato,_

_I'm surrounded by the craziest people I have ever met. I think you'd have liked them. _

_I want to apply to Gekkoukan – it's a school that popped up at Iwatodai. I want to go back there… it haunts me enough in my dreams anyway. _

_You and Mom and Dad are buried there. I'll make sure to visit._

_I miss you, and I love you. Always. _

_Isabella… I mean, Minako. _


	6. Midnight Rains

**Disclaimer:** Persona belongs to Atlus. I don't own anything.

So I was thinking of where Isabella would be on the Status panel… I've decided that for Knowledge she'd be at about a 3 since she did work her butt off to get into Gekkoukan (I've always thought it to be a prestigious school, since a) it's run by Kirijo Group and b) it's so fancy that they SOMEHOW manage to get money to pay for it); Charm (socially) would be at about a 1 because she's so… blunt, and Courage (socially) at maybe 3, but when it comes to Tartarus…? Definitely a 1. And her "level" from all the stuff she did for past ten years… lol maybe level 5?

Also… do you think I'm adding too much extra stuff, like these little scenes? Should I just work on getting through the storyline faster? I promise the days will go by faster soon!

**EDIT: This will NOT be continued for the longest time, since junior year has absolutely swamped me with homework that I have no interest in writing this (or much of anything else for that matter…). I've had this chapter already typed up, so might as well post it, but… sorry to anyone who is reading this. **

**

* * *

**

_Chapter Six_

"Hey, Isabella!"

There's a prickling at the back of my neck like someone is glaring daggers at me, but I turn at the voice calling my name anyway. Akihiko jogs up to catch up to me, his jacket slung over one shoulder.

"Morning," he greets. "I didn't know that we were on the same train."

"Good morning, Senpai," I reply back, swinging my bag from side to side in boredom. It almost hits the guy during one of the swings, and he moves out of the way with a raised eyebrow. I flush slightly. "Sorry… I'm still half-asleep."

He chuckles, running a hand through his hair as we head through the gates of Gekkoukan. "I understand that perfectly. But man… things have been real crazy these past few days."

I glance up at him, surprised. "But… aren't you always up early for training? I never see you in the morning." I add on, in afterthought, "Senpai."

It's like the glares on my back increase. I try to take a quick look around, but there are students everywhere blocking my view.

"Well, I wake up at 5 AM-" I trip mid-step before righting myself. "-and grab a coffee before heading for my daily jog to the Naganaki Shrine." He shrugs, looking a bit embarrassed. "Of course, I haven't been able to keep up my training regime ever since the Shadows attacked…"

"You should take better care of yourself," I frown. "Junpei was waxing poetry about how you haven't lost a boxing match yet, so I'm hoping everyone will be in top shape if we're going to explore Tartarus again once you get better."

There's silence from my companion, and it takes a few seconds for me to realize that I'm not talking to Yukari or Junpei, but Akihiko Sanada, someone who I've barely had any chance to converse with. He's my Senpai to boot, too. I can feel my face paling then turning red as I duck my head low. "I'm sorry, Senpai – I didn't mean to be disrespectful."

When he doesn't respond again, I take the chance to see how angry he is. To my surprise, he's just staring at me with a blank look over his features, walking on automatic. "Er, Senpai?"

My voice seems to snap him out of whatever funk he's in, and he stares at me for a few more seconds before beginning to laugh. I wince. "Are you mad…?"

His laughter cuts off and his eyes widen just the tiniest bit. "No, I'm not mad. You were appointed leader after all. It's good to see that you're taking your responsibilities seriously." I let out a huge sigh of relief I hadn't been aware of holding. "Besides…" his eyes shift downwards, awkward. "There are few people left who still address me like that." He chuckles, before smiling at me. "It's a nice change of pace."

I try to smile back at him, but it comes out more like a nervous twitch. "Ha…ha… yeah."

"Anyway… Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I reply, confused.

Akihiko shrugs. "You must be confused since you've just transferred to Gekkoukan. And with everything that's been happening lately…" He trails off.

A spark of realization lights within me. "Oh. Well, I am a bit, but I'm alright for the most part. The school is kind of easy to navigate once you get lost once or twice… and I have been living with the Dark Hour for the last ten years."

His smile widens. "That's pretty impressive. You're completely different from Junpei."

"Of course Senpai, I'm a girl, so therefore that should already tell you that I have greater intelligence," I mutter under my breath sarcastically. He doesn't seem to hear me and goes on.

"On the other hand, I'm so bored I feel like I'm going to die…" His smile turns devilish as he leans in a bit closer, lowering his voice. "…Hey, is there any way I can sneak in on the fight? …Maybe I could get past Mitsuru if I wear Junpei's hat?"

I think I can feel my uniform beginning to sizzle. _Really, _where's all this heat coming from? I eye the senior in disbelief anyway, moving a bit to the side to get him out of my personal space bubble.

"You're kidding, right?"

He winces at my words, closing his eyes like he's remembering something. "You're right… The consequences wouldn't be worth it…"

_[Damn,] _Pixie comments in my head with an airy giggle. _[That's one fine piece of manmeat.] _I chose the sane option to ignore her.

We part ways inside the school as the bell rings, and I find myself being dragged towards the auditorium for some assembly. Mitsuru gets announced as the Student Council President and no one seems surprised – or disappointed – at it, and she makes an impressive speech on goals and reaching for them… or something. I let my head fall back on my chair midway through it.

I open my eyes a few minutes later when there's loud applause, joining in just because I probably should. Junpei stares at the stage beside me in shock.

"Dang… That was freakin' amazing…" He turns to me once he notices I'm awake. "Hey, did you even understand what she was talking about…?"

I evade the question, deciding not to answer. "What about you?"

"Huh! Well… I mean, what do you think!" He snorts, reaching up to fix his baseball hat. "Unlike her, I'm just your average high schooler! Ahaha…"

I look at him in pity. "Man, you really have to stop bringing yourself down all the time…" He literally waves my words away and our class is dismissed back to class, where Ms. Toriumi opens a textbook at the class podium and clears her throat.

"All right, open your textbooks to page 12. Today we'll be going over Meiji-era literature." She breaks off, frowning down at her book. Meiji-what? "Never mind. You know what? I'm tired of these textbooks. I just went over this novel in the last class." I'd so hate to be a teacher… I just don't have the patience necessary for dealing with kids.

She slams the textbook closed with a loud thump, waking up several already dozing students. "I've got a great poem we can cover instead. Close your textbooks, everyone, and listen…" She clears her throat.

"Isolated cloud,

suspended over the tall

snowy mountain peak…"

Poetry, ugh… I let my eyes slip close and resume what I was doing back in the auditorium.

* * *

Junpei is the one to wake me up once class is over for the day, laughing when I sleepily glare at his direction. "'I don't sleep in class', huh…?" He quotes me.

I yawn, stretching my arms high above me. "Poetry, my dear friend… the bane of Isabella Payne's existence." He just shakes his head at me and heads off somewhere, and I follow his example and gather my stuff before heading downstairs.

Or try to, anyway.

"Hem hem." There's some girl politely coughing to get my attention as I pass by on my way to the door. I turn around to look at her, a bit confused.

"Can I help you?"

Her smile looks almost predatory as she nods her head. "Oh, yes…" The way she stretches her last word, combined with the smile aimed at me begins to tug at my instincts to turn tail and run. "You're the new transfer student everyone is talking about, right?" She doesn't give me a chance to answer, but moves closer and runs her eyes over me in observation. "You moved into the dorm where Akihiko-senpai lives, right?"

"That's right," I reply, even more confused now.

She giggles behind one hand, sounding forced. "We saw you and Akihiko-senpai this morning…" Who is this 'we'? "I've been wanting to talk to you…"

I blink. "Did you need something…?"

The random classmate of mine crosses her arms and pouts. "Geez, you don't have to be so mean about it." I'm not… She shrugs her shoulders. "Whatever. Just spill the dirt on Akihiko-senpai. His favorite foods, his type of girl, how he spends his days off, and—"

I cut her off there, stepping away. "Whoa! Don't you think that's a bit creepy?"

She flips her hair over one shoulder, her pout disappearing as she levels me with a glare. "Stay away from Akihiko-senpai, transfer student. Or we'll make sure you regret it."

I snort at her, realizing what's going on at last. "I suggest you and your friends get yourself checked into some mental ward, 'cause you're just crossing all boundaries in stalkerism." I scrunch up my nose, amazed. "I didn't even think these kinds of things existed outside the TV, but wow, way to prove me wrong…"

Her glare must be physically hurting her eyes now, so I just shrug at her and walk off, waving over one shoulder. "I suggest you try getting your information somewhere else. Or better yet, leave him alone. Later."

I pass Yukari on the way who seems to be busy, giggling with some schoolmates, so I let her be and hum some song from my MP3 as I make a mental note to email Matt, Ben and Amanda everything that happened the moment I get back.

I barely make it out the entrance before I'm forced to stop.

"Heeeeeeeeeeey! Izzzyyyyyyy!"

The voice is loud enough to break through the music booming in my ears, so I take off my headphones to glance back at the owner – Junpei runs up to me, his backpack flapping behind him in the wind. "Are you heading back? Want to walk to the Dorm together?"

"Uhmm…" I mull it over – do I even have anything to do? "Eh, sure. I've nothing better to do."

"Alright!" He cheers, fixing his baseball cap with a large grin. "We should stop by someplace on the way."

I shrug in answer. "Sure."

There's some sort of commotion at the front gates of the school and we pause to look at what's going on. I facepalm when I realize that it's Akihiko, surrounded by a bunch of chattering girls of all ages.

"Figures," I mutter to Junpei, watching the girls squealing at the uncomfortable looking senior with pity.

"Man, would you look at that? I hear they're always swarming Akihiko-senpai like that."

I glance up at Junpei in surprise. "Are you kidding me?"

He shakes his head, his eyes still trained on the girls. "Nah. He's the captain of the boxing team and all, but…" He snorts. "You don't even see girls flock like that on TV!" Obviously Junpei hasn't watched much TV in his life. "…Hey, where are they going?"

I turn my attention back to Akihiko as he approaches us, the group following right behind him. He nods at us both in greeting, looking like he wants to be somewhere else completely. "Hey, are you guys free this afternoon?"

Junpei, startled, looks back behind us at whoever the senior might be addressing. "Huh? Who, us?"

I roll my eyes, punching the guy lightly in the shoulder to make him pay attention. "No, dummy, the ghosts hovering over our shoulders." I turn back to Akihiko. "I guess. Why?"

"I want you two to meet me at Paulownia Mall. You'll know where it is, right? I'll be at the police station." He nods at us again with a tiny smile. "I'll see you there."

Junpei and I stare at him, and speak before he can leave. "Th-the police station?" Junpei asks. A sudden smile breaks out as he eyes the girls behind Akihiko. "Are your friends gonna come along too?"

Akihiko's eyebrow twitches as he replies, not even glancing at the students surrounding him. "Who, these girls? I don't even know their names. They talk so much they give me a headache."

"Ouch," I comment, amused. A few glares get focused my way, but I just wave at the fuming group, making them seethe even more.

"Anyway, I'm gonna head out. Don't keep me waiting." Akihiko and his fans walk off, and I hear some girl sigh.

"Aw, why can't he be more _friendly?_" She glares at us over her shoulder once more before running off.

Junpei watches them depart in wonder. "How can he not even know their _names? _I mean, seriously! Just look at them!"

I give him a Look. "Junpei, they're _creepy." _When he looks like he's gonna start protesting, I roll my eyes and grab his arm. "Let's go, Prince Charming."

"Eh? Prince Charming?"

Obviously, the joke is lost on my oblivious friend. …Does he even count as a friend? I shake the thought off and settle my bag more comfortably against myself. "Nevermind. Let's get going."

The time is spent with Junpei grumbling about moody girls and ignorant guys who don't know how good they've got it as we make our way to Paulownia Mall. We head inside the Police Station, wondering why Akihiko wanted to meet us here.

"…Thank you, Sir." Looks like said guy is already here, chatting over the counter with some tough-looking police officer. They both turn in our direction as a bell announces our arrival, and he smiles. "Oh, these are the guys I was talking about earlier."

The officer offers no words as he looks us over, and we wave awkwardly back in return. "Nice to meet you," I say, a bit intimidated.

"This is Officer Kurosawa," Akihiko introduces, leaning against the desk. "He helps keep our squad well-equipped." I perk up at the sound of this as he walks over to both of us, handing over some bills. "And, this is from Ikutsuki-san…"

I grin at the money in my hands, then look around the place, trying to figure out where the guy keeps the weapons. "Sweeet! I threw that weapon you guys gave me ages ago."

Akihiko looks confused, if not a bit disappointed. "Why would you do that?"

I glance at him, still busy searching for a cache of hidden weaponry. "Senpai, it was a toy sword made out of plastic. Do you really think it'd help us with anything? The same can be said for both Yukari and Junpei…"

Junpei winces at my words, his shoulders dropping at the reminder of the wounds we all got last night. "Izzy's right, Senpai. Those things were completely useless."

Akihiko has the grace to look somewhat abashed at our words. "Well… you can't fight empty-handed, so find something you like. Officer Kurosawa has connections…" I eye the stoic officer in interest.

"Oh, really?"

"But," Akihiko continues, ignoring me. "These things still cost money."

"Of course they do." Junpei and I startle at the sound of the other man's voice, surprised that he really isn't mute after all. "Nothing in life is free."

He sounds like he's reprimanding Akihiko, but the silverette just smiles in his direction, his voice amused. "I realize that." He glances down at a watch strapped around his wrist before heading for the doors. "Well, I'll see you later. Thanks again."

Junpei and I left are alone with Kurosawa, who is frowning at us from a chair sitting behind his desk. Now that I come to think of it, there's no one here but him. "I've been informed about you two. My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances. I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on here." His voice is gruff, but there's a tone of actual disgust as he talks. "I'm only doing what I think is right."

I snap a salute at the guy, grinning. "Roger!" Junpei just gulps, nodding, and Kurosawa shakes his head at us.

"I don't have much," he says, bending down under his desk to retrieve what looks like a collection of papers, which he puts on the desk before us. "Here, this is a written compilation of what we currently have at the back. You should be able to find what you need, though." He pauses, his mouth downturned in a frown. "I won't ask what you'll be using this for… But, I believe that you'll use them for the right reasons."

I raise an eyebrow at him as I head over to glance through the lists. "That's an awful lot of trust you have for just a bunch of kids." He offers me no answer, so I decide to just drop it and turn back to Junpei, who's still lingering by the entrance.

"Are you gonna look at these?"

He shakes his head, looking disgruntled. "Nah. This is not my forte… besides, my mood is kind of ruined now."

I blow my bangs out of my eyes in exasperation. "Don't tell me you're still sulking over those girls." When Junpei just makes a face at me, I shrug. "Whatever. Want me to pick something out for you? I'm getting stuff for Yukari anyway."

He nods, walking over to hand over the money Akihiko gave him – 5,000 yen – before leaving with a jaunty wave over one shoulder. "Thanks Izzy. I'll see you back at the Dorm."

I read over the notes on the weapons, armor and accessories in silence, taking note of the prices and their descriptions. It's a few minutes before I capture Kurosawa's attention again.

"Find something you like?"

I nod, putting the papers back on his desk. "Yes. The naginata you currently have, Short Bow, and Kishido Blade please." Much to my disappointment, the place doesn't have short swords – I'd just have to deal with a naginata, since I couldn't handle a sword the size of Junpei's due to my weight and height, and my gun wouldn't be as useful when compared to a naginata.

Kurosawa emerges a few minutes later from the backroom, carrying what I'm guessing are my weapons in several cases. He sets it down before me, as well as something that looks like a passport. "Here. This is a seal of ownership for these items if anyone decides to question you."

I pick up the item and flip it open – there are several pages, each with a stamp and a signed warranty stating that I have the state's approval for them. My eyebrows fly up as I stare at the words. "Wow. Thank you."

"As you might have noticed, it says you only have approval for possession. I suggest you don't go running around using them in broad daylight." I grin at his advice, doing a small bow in respect.

"Dully noted, Officer."

Kurosawa just looks at me, frowning. "Like I said, I don't know what you kids are up to, but remember well that these are real weapons you're dealing with. I expect there to be no reports to the Station from the Hospital."

I think back to Pixie's and Yukari's healing abilities, as limited as they currently may be – Asparas explained briefly during one of my naps in class that there were several levels to Persona spells, and ours were currently at the lowest – before smirking at the officer.

"You don't ask us about our activities, Officer, and I won't ask about how such a small city Police Station has access to a wide range of weapons." Indeed, there were all sorts of things written out on that inventory list – along with the before-mentioned items, there was a small array of kunai, lances, fencing swords, boxing gloves and even axes. I guess this is what Akihiko meant by helping equip the team, huh?

Kurosawa's mouth thins out into a straight line, but I can't tell by his eyes whether he's amused or irritated, with the way his cap is covering half his face. "Just don't hurt yourself, kid." He motions to the weapons. "That'll be 9,600 yen."

I bite at my lip as I hand over the majority of what we received from the Chairman… maybe in some point in time, Kurosawa and I could work out some sort of deal between us. These things weren't even that great, and they were already eating up at my savings!

"Thanks a ton," I say before leaving. I squint up at the sun shining down once I'm outside in the courtyard of the mall again, wondering what I should do now. The sword and bow cases weigh down on my back and alongside the grocery bag with my disassembled naginata – plus my school bag – I sort of feel like a mule. I head out to the Dorm quickly – people begin to veer away to avoid me - to drop the weapons off and exit again before anyone can say something or rope me into more activities.

I check my phone once I'm outside to see if Matt had called, but there are no missed calls and I drop it back down into my pocket with a frown. Maybe it's better if I email him all of this… I sigh.

"What to do…" I mumble to myself, looking around the street. A poster stuck onto one of the lampposts catches my attention with its flashy writing, and I head over to see that it's some advertisement for foreign movies currently playing down at the Screenshot Theater at the Station.

I peek into the wallet I brought along, glad that Grandmother agreed to send me a monthly allowance to support myself… however, with how things were looking now, I'd have to get a job soon. Maybe the Café place?

I head over to the theater and buy a ticket for the foreign marathon playing. I spend a few hours staring at the screen, barely understanding anything, and emerge into the sunlight by evening time with a splitting headache.

I massage my temples for a few seconds before giving it up as a lost cause. I sigh to myself, beginning the trek back to the Dorm. "Well, maybe I somehow got smarter from all of that... Yeah, right."

Mitsuru, Akihiko and the Chairman are chilling out on the couches in the first floor lobby when I get back. "Welcome back," the readhead greets me, glancing up from her book with a small smile. "Perfect timing – I'd like to speak to you for a moment." I wonder for a second if something had happened, or if she was unsatisfied at my dumping of our equipment right in front of the entrance… speaking of which, the weapons are no longer there.

"Regarding our exploration of Tartarus…" Don't tell me we're going there tonight _again. _"Akihiko is still on the mend, so for now, I'd like you to continue leading the team until one of us can take over."

I frown, surprised. "Couldn't you lead from outside…? I mean, I don't have anything against leading for a bit, but I'm not all that experienced."

Mitsuru purses her lips in thought. "While that is a sound suggestion… we don't know when another powerful enemy may appear, like the one you faced the other day. It's best to be prepared, or else you may find yourself in a difficult situation."

I flinch at the memory of the giant Shadow and its monstrous number of swords. "Got it."

Mitsuru nods in approval. "Thank you. Whenever you'd like to explore Tartarus, just let me know and I'll gather everyone there." …I don't want to go to that place again so soon… "Also, since I'm sure there are other things you will need to take care of, you may go out at night if you need to."

I send a wry smile her way. "That you for the permission, Senpai."

She looks a bit guilty at my words, before turning back to her romance paperback. "That's it. Keep up the good work."

I head down to the kitchen to see if we miraculously got any good food around, and stop on the way to greet Yukari and Junpei, who are chilling out at the dining table. Yukari is slumped forward, reading some textbook with bleary eyes.

"You okay?" I ask, to which she just nods into the wood.

"Exploring Tartarus makes me feel like I just climbed Mt. Fuji…" She mutters. "Agh, why must it be so tough for us girls…?"

I let her be, feeling not as tired as she seems to be – maybe it's the fact that I've been running around the Dark Hour for ages now – and walk past Junpei, who's staring at the ceiling in thought.

"Hey…" I stop as he addresses me. "Ya know that thing we use to summon our Personas… the Evoker?" I nod. "Well, I was thinking, why does it have to look like a gun?"

I bite at my lower lip in thought. "Well… can you summon your Persona otherwise?" Junpei pauses at my words and closes his eyes, focusing. He opens them again a few moments later, sighing.

"Okay, I get it… but don't you have to be a little nutty to point a gun at your head?" Yukari snorts in agreement from her place and I mimic the motion of shooting myself in the temple.

"Bang," I reply, before shrugging. "I agree. It would be nice to summon our Persona without pointing that thing at our heads…" I trail off as a thought suddenly hits me. "I mean… what would happen if I suddenly mistook my pistol for my Evoker…"

Junpei pales at the words and I head off into the kitchen before he can say anything. There's some vegetable salad sitting in the fridge with a note that says Yukari's name on it, so I avoid it and instead settle for making myself a simple sandwich. I munch on it as I come back out, deciding that I need to mark things like "GROCERY SHOPPING" on my calendar if I want to remember them at all. I should probably mark "EMAIL MATT" on there, too.

I begin heading upstairs, catching snippets of Akihiko's and the Chairman's conversation as they discuss Shadows – I overhear something about Ikutsuki having been a researcher for the Kirijo Group years ago and having been taught how to enter the Dark Hour, but as much as my curiosity calls to me, I finish walking to my room and set myself down in front of my laptop.

I begin typing out the email to Matt after a few minutes of sitting there in thought, making sure to include things I learned about the Dark Hour, Tartarus, Persona, and the Kirijo Group. I keep Amanda's email out of it – as well as out of my mind – before I click Send half an hour later.

There's no answering email from Matt from yesterday like I had hoped, so I take a glance at the clock – there's still some time left before the Dorm curfew of 11 PM, so I decide to grab a jacket and head out to see what the Mall has to offer during the nighttime.

To my disappointment, only the Police Station, Arcade, Pharmacy and Club are open. I don't feel like getting blasted by bright lights and music at the moment, and have no need to visit the Station or the Pharmacy again, so settle on going to the Arcade.

There's a discount on some game – the "Quiz Game" – that apparently happens on several nights during the week, so I head over there and pop 3,000 yen into it. Let's see what this thing is all about…

* * *

I emerge half an hour later just as dizzy as I had been from the theater earlier. The game turned out to be nothing but a giant chatroom with a challenge to answer the most questions you can, allowing people from all over the world to participate. Needless to say, I didn't do all that great.

I stop by the superstore – "Open 24 hours a week!" – on the way back at last, spending more of the money Grandmother gave me before deciding I should have a conversation with the Chairman – or Mitsuru – about this. There was no way I was going to be feeding the entire Dorm on my measly allowance.

Junpei and Akihiko are the only ones still downstairs by the time I get back, and Junpei eyes the grocery bags I'm carrying like they're gifts from Heaven themselves. "Man, real food!"

I stick my tongue out at him as I put them away in the fridge. "I don't know you guys manage to live on the junk here."

He scratches the back of his head in thought. "My last dorm had a Dorm Mother so we ate pretty fine there. Maybe you should ask Mitsuru-senpai about getting one here?"

I scrunch my nose at the thought. "Maybe… but I somehow doubt she'll allow someone who's not a Persona-user in here."

I stop by Akihiko on the way back upstairs who seems to be studying a textbook, struck by a sudden thought. "Hey, Senpai?"

He grunts at me, his eyes focused on the book; I peek over his shoulder and wince – Calculus. "Do you guys patrol the city during the Dark Hour regularly?"

This captures his attention and he glances up at me in thought. "We usually do several patrols a month, just in case." He takes a quick look at his wristwatch. "Actually, I'm supposed to be out there in an hour, but this…" He breaks off with a sigh, leveling a glare at the book.

"I'll go!" Indeed, this will be the perfect time to explore all that I want. "Don't look so surprised, Senpai. Besides, you're still hurt, aren't you?"

"That's true, but…" I roll my eyes at his frown.

"I'll be fine. I might not be as experienced with using my Persona as you are, but I have Pixie who knows Dia, and I certainly know how to run from the Shadows." I nod in the direction of the book, trying hard not to smirk as he begins to actually think it over. "Besides, that looks important."

He relents after a minute, academics winning out over letting me go out on my own. "Fine. Do you as you want. I'll notify Mitsuru that you'll be leaving so that she can contact you."

"She can find us even if we're outside of Tartarus?" This surprises me a bit – "Can she do it during the day, too?"

Akihiko looks hesitant. "I doubt it. Her Persona is more battle-oriented, so the ability is limited."

I hum a nondescript answer in return. "Thanks a ton, Senpai. I promise not to get hurt."

He sighs at my grin, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe you should take Junpei with you…"

I glance over at where said junior is dozing on the couches, drool pooling out of his mouth and onto the pillows. "…Senpai. You should let the poor guy sleep."

"Shouldn't you be just as tired as he is?" I wave the question away.

"Please. My friends and I made it our personal mission to explore Manchester as much as possible during the Dark Hour over the years." I pause. "Of course, that was pretty hard with no transportation working… then again, our bikes were a God send."

He chuckles at my words. "Okay, you've got me convinced. Just grab an umbrella or something when you leave, it's supposedly going to rain later tonight."

I swear my grin must be illuminating the entire lobby, determined by how much my mouth hurts from smiling. "Thank you!"

He's beginning to look uncomfortable at all the sparkling I'm doing so I leave him alone, running upstairs to grab whatever clothes I can get from my bags. I manage to dig out a bright yellow poncho Amanda left with me and a pair of rain boots that were a gag gift from Ben, and slip it all on, foregoing on the umbrella. The rain poncho had a hood, and how was I going to use the naginata with an umbrella in hand, anyway?

I head over to where it was dumped by someone in my room and dump out the contents – it looks to be a basic one, with a wooden hilt and a metal sword you can attach to the end of it. I screw in the thing and wave it around a few times for practice… this looks like it's gonna take some time getting used to.

Why couldn't I just use a pole, or something?

* * *

Shinjiro Aragaki expected many things to happen during the Dark Hour. He usually stopped by the ramen shop to wait it out, or if he was feeling particularly bored or annoyed, went out with his axe in tow to slaughter some poor Maya that managed to crawl its way out of Tartarus. Akihiko visited more often than not when he was patrolling, Mitsuru less so, but that was okay – the Dark Hour wasn't a thing he enjoyed experiencing anymore, anyway.

So it's needless to say that when the first sound of high-pitched noise hit his ears, he winced at the off-pitchness of it all and was more than a little surprised. As far as he was aware, Mayas were not able to talk beyond the few garbles and groans they let out when you killed them.

He peeked out of the shop, wary of any said Mayas that might be lingering outside; however, he certainly wasn't expecting the same girl he ran into a few weeks ago to be almost dancing in the red spring rain, clad in a bright yellow raincoat and purple rainboots. He could only stare as she approached closer, oblivious, swinging what looked like a naginata behind her as she went.

"_Oh, oh, I want your ugly, I want your reveeeengeee!"_ He fought the urge to pull his hat lower as her voice hit a particularly high note, wondering if she was just naturally that bad at singing or just bored. _"You and me could write a bad rommmaaaaance!" _

"Nice raincoat," he commented between her singing when she was close enough on the street to hear him. Her movements stopped midstep and he found himself on the receiving end of her weapon, the sharp blade pointed at his throat.

The girl examined him from under her plastic hood, hair plastered to the sides of her face, blinking, before lowering the naginata. "Oh. It's you." She peered closer at his face, scrunching her nose. "Who are you?"

If he didn't have any guesses before as to why she was here, the red SEES armband on her left arm was a dead giveaway. He grunted. "That's not any of your business."

She just stared at him some more, as if trying to read him – he wished her luck with that. Even Mitsuru had given up halfway through. "The coat belongs to a friend. I'm Isabella Payne. Why aren't you being attacked by Shadows?"

If he had brought the ramen cup he was eating with him, he was sure he would have choked on it at her direct approach to the situation. "Excuse me?"

Her eyes looked just as red as the blood on the streets, maybe a little darker, as she rolled them at him. "You're not in a coffin, for one thing. Second, you warned me about the Shadows when I first got here. Third, you haven't gotten eaten yet either. So, who are you?"

Well, Aki certainly had described her as perceptive when he stopped by a few nights ago. "You the new SEES leader?"

Her face flashed with something like surprise and distaste before it was gone, and her jaw tensed just the tiniest bit. "So you know about SEES. I'm surprised Mitsuru-senpai and the Chairman haven't gotten you to join yet." When he gave no response, her eyes flickered to something over his shoulder for a quick moment before she gave a small, satisfied smile of realization. "Oh."

He decided right then and there he didn't like the smile. Or the girl, for that matter.

"Patrolling all alone?" When she shrugged in response, his face twisted into a scowl. "Are you trying to get killed or something?"

The girl glanced up at the sky, a few drops of red splattering on her cheeks. "The Shadows don't like the rain," she stated, voice bored, as if she was just discussing the horrible weather. She wiped off the blood with the hand that wasn't holding her weapon, scowling down at it. "They also can't tell apart colors, so it's not like it matters." She paused, scrunching her brows in thought. "The minions can't, anyway. Who knows about the big guys here."

One of his eyebrows disappeared under his hat. "Ikutsuki tell you this, kid?"

He had to admit, her glare – Isabella something, was it? – was a little bit impressive. He was usually the one doing the glaring. "Are you kidding me? For someone who's supposed to have been studying Shadows for years now, he doesn't know shit. And I haven't been a kid for a very long time, so don't waste your breath calling me that."

Her words about the man startled him. She continued on, sighing slightly when he failed to respond. "Oh, come on – I overheard him saying he used to be a researcher for the Kirijo Group a few years back. These things have been around for ages now, and they're not that hard to capture." He personally agreed, but he wasn't about to let her know that.

The silence turned awkward as minutes ticked by, the headphones hidden in the coat around her neck blasting out the lyrics to some raunchy pop song. He shifted on his feet, searching for words to say, while the girl looked all too entirely comfortable with standing there underneath the blood pouring down from the clouds, watching him.

"Er – you want to come in? That rain might be getting pretty bad." That wasn't what he wanted to say – he swore that he wanted her to leave instead – but guessed that his curiosity got the better of him, for once.

The brunette – that's what he remembered her to be, at least – glanced up at the Haraguke sign above his head, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she thought it over, before giving him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, stranger, but I'll have to pass – the patrolling must be done, you know. And the rain isn't all that bad." She flashed him another smile and walked off, already singing a different song to the clouded sky.

"_Round and round the planets revolve around the sun… and we always seek after love and peace forever mooooore…"_

"Don't expect your singing to save you if a Shadow jumps at you from all that racket you're making!" He couldn't help but call after her disappearing figure, annoyed. She just raised her voice louder in response to his yell and flipped him the finger over one shoulder.

Shinjiro stood where he was for a bit, watching until he couldn't see the bright yellow spot of her coat anymore, and decided that the experience was certainly different from the ones that came with having Mitsuru around.

* * *

I let my voice quiet down once Asparas informs me that the guy had slipped back into the ramen shop, letting the song wash over me as I turn down the volume – this MP3 being another modified present from Matt, of course. The guy is a complete tech-freak.

_How powerful is his Persona? _I ask, scouting the area to make sure I'm alone.

_[It's hard to tell,] _Orpheus is the one to reply to my question, his voice calm. _[However, he certainly has more experience than you three. I assume he is on the same level as the silver-haired man in your Dorm, perhaps even more powerful.]_

The revelation of his Persona – Asparas' work – had managed to shock me for a second before I managed to get my emotions back under control. _So by his being here and knowledge of SEES, it's safe to assume he knows them personally? _

_[Most likely,] _Asparas' voice is as cold as her appearance, making my head feel cooler whenever she speaks. _[I suggest you ask your elder dormmates about him. He could pose to be dangerous.]_

_[Oh, come on!] _Pixie interrupts, dissatisfied. _[If he was going to do something, don't you think he would have already done it?]_

_[She had her weapon with her,] _Orpheus argues back, always the one with the logic in my head. Asparas snorts in response.

_[He didn't know she had no clue how to use it, did he?] _

_Oh, come on, _I break in before the voices trolling my brain can get even louder. _I'll ask Akihiko-senpai about him or something. They look like they'd be in the same year of school._

_[Good girl,] _Pixie giggles and I sigh, waving her away.

I walk around the city, staying away from any dark alleyways especially shadowed during the night, and jump over pools of red growing larger on the streets. _I wonder why Shadows don't like the rain, _I ponder to my companions, but they offer no answer. I'm sort of getting used to them ignoring my questions half the time already; and, indeed, back when it rained all the time at home, we had all noticed that the Shadows tended to stay away from the open streets.

I hum random songs my MP3 throws at me as I weave through the houses, approaching closer and closer to the Dorm. I haven't heard from Mitsuru yet, so it was safe to assume that she didn't need me for anything.

"Well… I certainly wasn't expecting you to be here."

I trip mid-step and almost fall face-first into a puddle, but manage to catch myself and whirl to face the sound of the voice behind me.

Jailboy is standing there, blue – nearly purple – eyes blinking at me as he stares. The rain doesn't touch him, merely bounces off and around his body, and somehow I'm not surprised.

"Hi." The word escapes my mouth before I can think of something relevant to say, like – "What are you doing here?" or "Are you a ghost or something? – and I twist my mouth into a frown as we stare at each other for a few minutes. Jailboy has his permanent smile on his face as he looks around the street, his eyes dancing over everything in curiosity.

His head comes up to my torso – and that's saying something, seeing as I'm only 5'5 and that's pretty short – and female logic wins over. "You shouldn't be out by yourself in the rain."

His eyes turn to me, making me realize how _blue _they actually are – they make me think of a summer sky, devoid of lingering clouds. Staring at them like this, I actually feel like I might lose myself in their color.

Jailboy's expression turns almost, not-quite-there curious. "But… I'm not alone. I'm always with you, aren't I?"

I sigh, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. "Come here, kid."

He tilts his head to the side. "'Kid'?"

I blow my wet bangs out of my eyes, reaching forward for his hand. "Whatever, just…it's dangerous to be out here alone." His hand is ice cold and clammy to the touch; I wince, almost dropping it. "Wow, how long have you been _out _here?"

His empty expression becomes not so empty, as for the first time ever, I see him frown. "Whatever do you mean?" He stares at our clasped hands as I begin to pull him in the direction of the Dorm, turning my head away when he doesn't stop.

"What is it?" I ask, unnerved by the chill surrounding us – it's like holding hands with Death itself; I suppress a shudder at the thought.

"It's just…" The boy clenches his fingers around mine experimentally, his hand small and frail. "…This feels familiar, don't you think?"

"It doesn't feel familiar." The words escape out of my mouth automatically, and I glance back to gauge his reaction – he's staring at me like always, smiling, looking like he has no worries in the world whatsoever. "It doesn't," I repeat, tightening my grip on his hand in an attempt to calm my wildly beating heart.

"I see," the boy says in response, voice pleasant.

We walk in silence for a few minutes as I lead us back to the Dorm. "What's your name?" I finally ask when the silence has gotten to be too much.

Jailboy gives a hum in answer. "I wonder…" There's a pause when we turn the corner and Iwatodai Dorm looms before us, lit up like a firefly in the night. I turn to face him, staring down at his pale face.

"Thank you for showing me around today," his smile widens as he drops my hand, stepping away from me.

"Huh? But I didn't…" I trail off as he giggles, before nodding at me.

"Good-night. We will meet again soon. And remember… I'm always with you."

I watch as one moment he's there, and the next – he's not. I wonder for a second if I really should have asked him about the being a ghost thing, but shake my head to get the thought out of my mind.

"_We're going down, and you can see it too… we're going down and you know that we're doomed… my dear we're slow dancing in a burning room…" _I switch off my MP3 as the moon and sky above me flash to color, heading inside. Junpei is still asleep on the couch with Akihiko nowhere in sight, so I head over to where the junior is splayed, shaking him awake.

"Huh…wha…" His mumbles are jumbled as he wakes up, staring at me like I've just descended down from a space ship right before his eyes.

"I think your room is more comfortable," I comment, pointing at the clock hanging on the wall opposite. When he makes no effort to look, just blinks blearily up at me, I can't help but giggle a bit. "Go to bed, Junpei. It's past the Dark Hour – come on, I'm not carrying you up to your room."

My words seem to finally get through him and he groans, hefting himself up.

"Whatever…" He grumbles, yawning. "Thanks."

Junpei and I say good-night to each other and go off our separate ways and I stop on the way to my room to grab a quick shower in the girls' hallway. I check my laptop just in case Matt had replied, but change into my pyjamas when my Inbox is still empty and fall into bed with a great sigh. My naginata lies disassembled in one corner, and it's the last thing I see before I fall asleep.

* * *

I dream of an abyss filled with stars, with a great oak tree in the middle of it all – I don't understand why I keep seeing it, not at all. The boy is standing there, staring at me. "I'll always protect you," he says, rolling the red ball around in his hands. "I promise." His voice is distorted in my dreams, but I still can't help but get the feeling that I've heard it somewhere before.

"Okay," I say, floating in the galaxy of lights, feeling as if Heaven itself is within my reach. "What's your name?"

He just smiles at me and doesn't answer. We stay there for what seems like the entire night, engulfed in silence and serenity.


End file.
